LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. 



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Solid Virtue 



A TRIDUUM 



SPIRITUAL CONFERENCES. 



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Rev. Father Bellecius, S. J. 



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TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN BY A FATHER OF THE SOCIETY 
OF JESUS. WITH THE PERMISSION OF SUPERIORS. 



**Be ye renewed in the spirit of 
the new man." — Eph. iv. : 23, 



mMKl- ana DUt'^ 

GOT 26 1882 



No-, 



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NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, AND ST. LOUIS : 

BENZIGER BROTHERS, 

PRINTERS TO THE HOLY APOSTOLIC SEE. 
1882. 







Ths Ijbrart 
OF Congress 

WA8HI1K>T0N 

John, Cardinal McCloskey, 

Archbishop of New York, 



Copyright, 1882. by BENZIGER BROTHERS. 



PREFACE. 



Whoever seeks to acquire solid virtue must 
cultivate purity of heart, cleansing himself grad- 
ually from every stain, even of the smallest sin. 
This the Triduum of Fr. Bellecius, if well per- 
formed, actually makes, us do; for it first re- 
moves the obstacles to Solid Virtue, then points 
out the means, and finally gives the incentives to 
its acquirement. This retreat is an abridgment 
of Fr. Bellecius's larger work on Solid Virtue — an 
abridgment made by himself. His three spirit- 
ual conferences practically show in what Solid 
Virtue consists. 

Of your charity pray for the 

Translator. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface 3 

On the Eve of the Triduum 7 

Meditation. — On the Necessity and Utility of this Re- 
treat 7 

The Following of Christ, i. 20 ; Rules for making a 

good Triduum 12 

FIRST DAY. 

Meditation I.-— On Venial Sin 17 

The Following of Christ, i. 24 ; Consideration, — On 

Tepidity .' 25 

Self-Examination. — On Human Respect 32 

Meditation II. — On the Abuse of Grace. Following 

of Christ, iii. 55 36 

SECOND DAY. 

Meditation I. — Incentives for the Perfect Performance 

of our Daily Actions. Following of Christ, i. 15. . 49 

Consideration. — On Recollection 57 

Self-Examination. — On the Practice of the Particular 

Examen 65 

Meditation II. — On Fervor in Prayer. The Follow- 
ing of Christ, iv 5 70 



Contents. 



THIRD DAY. 

Meditation I. — What Faith teaches concerning the 
Excellence of Solid Virtue. The Following of 
Christ, i. 2 and 3 81 

Consideration. — What Benefits we may hope to derive 

from Solid Virtue 89 

Self -Examination. — The signs of Divine Love. 98 

Meditation II. — God's Love for us deserves that we 
should give ourselves to Solid Virtue. The Follow- 
ing of Christ, iii, 27 102 

Prayer of St. Augustine no 

SPIRITUAL CONFERENCES. 

I. Holy Indifference 115 

II. The three degrees of Humility 125 

III. The Glory and Happiness of one who is despised 

and afflicted 134 



ilT^bttation on t\)t (£vt of t\}t ^riirtium* 

On the Necessity and Utility 
OF THIS Retreat. 



POINT I. 

The Necessity of this Holy Retreat. 

By a mere glance at the present state of your 
soul you will readily perceive the urgent need 
you have of this triduum. The disrelish for 
heavenly things, the tepidity in spiritual exer- 
cises, the continual outpourings of a dissipated 
mind, the hasty and faulty manner of perform- 
ing the usual actions of the day; the frequent 
and very dangerous temptations, the little fear 
of sin, or, perhaps, the absence of all fear of it, 
show that you walk on slippery ground, too nigh 
the danger of a grievous fall. Besides, so many 
and such violent passions not 3"et completely 
subdued; so many vicious and deeply-rooted 
habits not yet corrected; so much wrong done 
in the abode of the saints, in the sanctuary of 
religion, among terrestrial angels; all these 
prove that you are in much greater danger of 
losing your vocation, and even your salvation, 
than you imagine, and that there is a pressing 



8 Solid Virtue, 

need to avert the ruin of your spul by a timely 
correction of these serious faults. 

The necessity of this retreat is also manifest 
from the daily, perhaps hourly, failings in your 
obligations and duties. By the rules of the in- 
stitute which you have entered you should lead 
a life of profound submission, of invincible pa- 
tience, of heroic obedience, of continual mortifi- 
cation, of constant and fervent prayer; you 
should be a religious dead to self — living only 
for God and your neighbor, intent solely upon 
augmenting His divine glory and seeking the 
salvation of souls. In short, you should be a 
living model of virtue; the mere sight of you 
should inspire all with a horror of sin and a love 
for holiness. 

But alas! you are nothing of all this, but quite 
the contrary. Ah! the old man domineering 
over reason lives in you yet. If a sudden death 
should to-day cut you off from this w^orld and 
bring you before the Divine Justice to be judged 
what would be your lot? This frightens 3'ou; 
yet you dare to live in the state in which you 
would fear to die, and this you have the temerity 
to do while professing to be a religious! See 
how necessary it is to examine the state of your 
soul in time of seclusion. 

This same necessity is, moreover, apparent by 
the frustration of the graces which you have re- 
ceived. You could be a saint from the manifold 
graces within your reach, you ought to be one 



The Necessity and Utility of this Retreat. 9 

on account of your sublime vocation. And yet, 
I am ashamed to speak thus. By your remissness 
you are disedifying the outside world, a bad ex- 
ample to the house in which you live and a 
shame to the religion wdiich you profess. 

Alas! after so many communions, the same 
tepidity; after so many confessions, the same 
stains in the soul; after so many meditations, 
retreats, examens, the same predominant pas- 
sions, the same abuse of grace, the same apathy 
in the exercise of the duties of the holy life 
you have chosen. Is there not just reason to 
fear lest, since you are like the barren fig-tree 
described by St. Luke, you shall likewise be 
hewn down and destroyed by the avenging hand 
of God? It is absolutely necessary then to apply 
yourself to this holy retreat with such fervor as 
at the hour of death you will wish. 



POINT II. 

The Utility of this Holy Retreat. 

The graces we obtain for ourselves and others 
prove this utility. 

I St. We obtain graces for ourselves. — There is 
no doubt that those who devote themselves with 
earnestness to this recollection of spirit will re- 
ceive innumerable graces of a high order, a pro- 
found knowledge of eternal truths, divine in- 
spirations, efficacious inclinations and impulses 



lO Solid Virtue. 

to good and magnanimous determinations, 
which will be denied to those who neglect this 
holy retreat or perform it tepidly, with irrepar- 
able loss of merits in this life, and of corre- 
sponding degrees of glory in the next. 

Almighty God, it may be, has annexed to the 
making of this retreat the critical and decisive 
grace to which, as to a golden chain, is connect- 
ed a series of many others; perhaps the call to a 
very great work for God's greater glory; per- 
haps a highe^r degree of virtue not attainable 
otherwise. Do now what you will w4sh to have 
done when on the threshold of eternity. 

2d. We obtain graces for others. 

Perchance, upon this retreat, well made, de- 
pends the conversion of some great sinner, or 
the holy unction which God will give to your 
words in the pulpit or tribunal of penance, the 
happy success of some apostolic mission, or some 
other work very important for the salvation of 
souls. 

Oh, what a strict account will you not have 
to give if, owing to your tepidity during this 
triduum, you prevent the accomplishment of so 
much good; if souls which otherwise would have 
been saved be eternally damned; if you render 
yourself unfit to be God's instrument in bringing 
sinners to repentance! 

3d. How great, on the contrary, will be your 
consolation if you perform this retreat with the 
proper dispositions! 



T!ie Necessity and Utility of this Retreat, 1 1 

'^ Unto whomsoever much is given, of him 
much shall be required, and to whom they have 
committed much, of him they will demand the 
more." (St. Luke xii. 48.) To the measure of 
grace is proportioned the rigor of the account. 
He to whom five talents were entrusted was 
obliged to acquire other five. If he had done 
less he would have been called a slothful servant. 
This solitude for three days is a new grace. The 
truths which shall be proposed in the course of 
the retreat are new talents. Woe to you if you 
do not use them to advantage, if you do not 
" trade' with them.* Oh, if this precious time 
of recollection were given to the members of 
your Order who now burn in the purifying 
flames, perhaps, for the neglect with which they 
performed this very retreat, with what fervor 
would they not avail themselves of it! The axe 
may be now laid " to the root of the tree." (St. 
Luke iii. 9.) 

This may be your last retreat. How many 
whose health and strength of body promised a 
long life has not death snatched away after one 
such winter or summer retreat. If you are wise, 
you will do that which, if neglected, will be your 
greatest sorrow; if well performed, your greatest 
consolation. 

AFFECTIONS. 

O my God! do not permit that the very means 
which have been for others a help to greater 



12 Solid Virtue, 

perfection should be for me an occasion of 
greater negligence, and that I should find death 
where others have found life, I am determined 
to devote these three days to this all-important 
work with all the earnestness in my power, and 
to retrieve, during this brief period, so many 
years miserably lost. ^' For Thee, O my God, 
shall I live at least a little while, who have till 
now lived for the world. I will give a few days 
to my soul, /who have lavished so many months 
and years in the pampering of my body.'' (St. 
Peter Chrysol.) For it may happen that for me 
Time shall be no more, if, like a spendthrift, I 
waste these days of grace. 

For this reason, O God, strengthener of hearts, 
make known to me Thy will, 'Hhat I may know 
what is w^anting in me." (Ps. xxxviii. 5.) And 
Thou who givest the grace to desire give also 
the grace to accomplish what Thou wiliest. 
(St. Augustine.) 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION. 

The fruit of this Meditation should be a firm 
resolution during the time of this retreat to work 
out your salvation with great fervor and energy; 
to seek the Divine will in regard to yourself; to 
strive earnestly to correct every fault, and to 
observe accurately the following rules: 

Rules for Making a Good Triduum. 
ist. To keep from all occupations as much as 
possible, to read nothing, write nothing, do noth- 



Tlie Necessity and Utility of this Retreat. 1 3 

ing but what is conducive to the end of the re- 
treat. 

2d. To perform your daily actions with greater 
exactness and fervor. 

3d. To observe carefully external solitude and 
custody of the senses, and to secure internal soli- 
tude by a more strict recollection of the mind, 
and by frequent aspirations co God. 

4th. To write the resolutions, which must not 
be general and vague, but particular as to the 
circumstances of time and place. 

5th. To increase the usual mortifications of 
the body. The subject matter of the Particular 
Examen during the retreat will be the exact ob- 
servance of the prescribed rules, of the order of 
the day, and of silence. 

6th. To make the semi-annual confession, not 
through routine but in the spirit in w^hich our 
holy Father St. Ignatius wished it to be done, 
and with the threefold fruit which he intended: 
ist. To ascertain, by considering the number of 
your sins, whether there is up to this time a fall- 
ing off or a progress in virtue. 2d. To conceive 
a more vehement sorrow and increased horror 
of sin. 3d. To acquire a knowledge of your 
predominant passion, and of the vice which is 
the source of all the rest. 

7th. To begin this renovation of the spirit with 
the firm conviction that you stand very much in 
need of it, notwithstanding you have made, or 
will soon make, the annual eight days* retreat; 



14 Solid Virtue, 

also to have a generous will to do all that God 
requires of you, denying nothing to the Almighty, 
but offering Him your whole heart. 

8th. To read over the resolutions that were 
taken in other retreats and days of recollection, 
and to see whether they have been carried out; 
what God frequently inspires you to do or par- 
ticularly to avoid; what is the principal obstacle 
to your progress in perfection. Attention to the 
rules will be of great assistance in reaping the 
desired fruit from this triduum. 

9th. To dwell on one point only if the Medita- 
tions be found too long, and to use the remain- 
der of them as spiritual reading. 

loth. To prepare yourself for each Meditation 
by reading accurately the fruit which is to be 
gathered from it, and the means assigned to 
reap this fruit. 



FIRST DAY. 



FIRST DAY. 

On the First Day of this holy Triduum we must 
get rid of the principal obstacles to solid virtue; 
for if these are allowed to remain, this precious 
time will be spent to no purpose. Among these 
obstacles the principal are: Venial sin, tepidity 
of the soul, human respect and the abuse of 
grace. To remove entirely these obstructions to 
spiritual progress will be the work of this day; — 
the exercises of the first day answer to the " Pur- 
gative Way." 



£T£ibitatton 1. 
On Venial Sin. 



POINT I. 

Venial sin is a great evil in itself, because it is 
worse than all the evils of the world taken to- 
gether; worse than death, worse even than hell 
itself. For this reason could I, by one venial sin, 
prevent the greatest calamities, or procure the 
greatest good, I should not be justified in com- 
mitting this sin. Could I by telling one lie avert 
all wars, famine, conflagrations, sickness and pes- 
tilence; could I free myself or others from the 
greatest pains and disasters; I should not be jus- 
tified in telling this untruth. Could I by one 
wilful distraction in prayer convert all heretics, 
infidels and heathen to the true faith; could I 
extinguish the flames of Purgatory or the fires 
of Hell, this would not justify such a distraction. 
It is better that the whole world should be in 
confusion until the end of time; that the damned 
souls should be tormented by eternal flames, than 
that I should commit one slight sin. And this 
is a truth, it is even a dogma of faith which it 
would be impious to doubt. For all these are 
evils only to the creature; but sin, even venial 
sin, is an injury to the Creator. As great, there- 



1 8 Solid Virtue, 

fore, as is the difference between the Creator and 
the creature, so great is the difference between 
the malice of sin and the malignity of these other 
evils. 

Nevertheless, we find Christians who common- 
ly say: *' It is but a slight thing, only a venial 
sin." O these inconsiderate words ! What? Is 
that only a slight thing which is greater and far 
worse than the ruin of the universe? According 
to the doctrine of the Fathers, it would be a less 
evil were we possessed by the devil; were our 
bodies to be tormented by the most violent pains; 
were our souls to be tortured by the fires of 
Hell. 

This we believe, and yet these sins are com- 
mitted by religious; even by priests, without 
horror and without reflection, in jest, as it were, 
without the least thought of the consequences. 
O how pernicious is this blindness! Here pause, 
O presumptuous contemner of little things ! Ve- 
nial sin is something great in itself, yea, after 
mortal sin, the greatest evil in the world. 



POINT II. 

Venial sin *s a great evil in its effects; for first 
it diminishes the fervor of charity, increases the 
tepidity of the soul, and corrupts acts of virtue 
by lowering their high standard and taking away 
from them all merit for Heaven. 



On Venial Sin. lo 

Secondly, it keeps back innumerable actual 
graces, and makes us unworthy of the special 
providence and particular love of God by which, 
through His paternal affection, evil is averted 
and all things made to co-operate for good in 
the just, ''We know that to them that love 
God all things work together unto good." (Rom. 
viii. 28.) 

Thirdly, the soul, stained with venial sins, 
becomes displeasing and deformed in the sight 
of God; for, according to the Holy Fathers, such 
sins are to the soul what disease is to the body. 

Fourthly, venial sin is extremely dangerous 
inasmuch as it leads to the commission of mor- 
tal sin and ultimately to Hell. 

Shudder, O pious souls ! at this most horrible 
result; hear and tremble, O ye sinners ! who de- 
risively reject this truth. Know that venial sin 
leads on to mortal, and consequently to Hell. 
Whosoever is not thunderstruck at this tendency 
of venial sin, is on the very brink of perdition. 
No one becomes wicked all of a sudden. Those 
who are unfortunately lost forever first fell into 
venial sins, then gradually, step by step, they 
went to mortal sin and finally to Hell. In short 
eternal damnation often depends on one venial 
sin. Remember St. Teresa, who would have 
been eternally ruined, had she not avoided a 
slight defect. Perhaps from laziness in rising, 
tepidity in prayer, curiosity of the eyes, your 
damnation may ensue. Surely these are not less 



20 Solid Virtue, 

faults than the idle conversations of St. Teresa. 
And do not say, *^ Perhaps my salvation does not 
depend on such trifles." For perhaps it does. 
Will you then risk, on an uncertainty, eternity, 
your soul and Heaven ? Assuredly, had St. Te- 
resa reasoned thus, she would have been deluded 
and would have perished forever. And why may 
not that which would have happened to St. Te- 
resa, happen to you ? Woe then to you, should 
you continue to despise venial faults, for per- 
chance, in your case also, your salvation depends 
on what you despise. Abide then in fear, and 
**fly from all sin as from the face of a serpent." 



POINT III. 

Venial sin is a great evil on account of its 
punishments. 

The punishment of venial sin consists in the 
excruciating torments of Purgatory, which are 
greater and more intense than all the tortures 
inflicted upon the martyrs, all the sufferings of 
criminals, and all the pains of the sick, put to- 
gether. This is the teaching of St. Augustine 
and St. Thomas. Who does not shud'der at this ? 
But let us proceed. Reflect that these pains and 
torments of Purgatory, so great in their number, 
so violent in their severity, so long in their dura- 
tion, are inflicted for venial sins, — for a lie, for 
one act of impatience, for an idle Vv^ord. And 



Oil Venial Siji. 21 

they are imposed on predestined souls; upon the 
spouses of Christ — upon the heirs of Heaven. 
They are the sentence pronounced by an infinitely 
just God, who cannot punish sin more than it 
deserves; who loves these souls with a most ten- 
der and infinite love; and, nevertheless, they must 
suffer in continual agony. Either, then, God is 
an unjust and ruthless tyrant, which would be 
blasphemy to think, or venial sin is a dreadful 
and detestable evil. O God ! this we believe, 
this we teach others and still we continue to sin. 
We know that the least offence deserves Purga- 
tory, and yet we hesitate not to commit it. Were 
we assured that for one or more faults we should 
be burned at the stake, we would not be so fool- 
ish as to sin, even slightly. What ! we believe 
that for these very sins we commit we shall have 
to burn in the flames of Purgatory, and still v/e 
go on heaping sin on sin ! What folly ! but let 
us at last be wise, and being convinced of these 
truths, let us always entertain, in our hearts, a 
great horror and implacable hatred of every ve- 
nial sin. 

AFFECTIONS. 

O God! I, a handful of dust, have offended 
Thee, the Lord of Lords, after so many graces 
bestowed on me. And this so often — and so in- 
considerately — out of mere wantonness — when 
no hope of any good, no fear of any ^vil incited 
me. Ah! I ought not to have offended Thee, the 



22 Solid Virtue. 

Supreme Good, even if, by doing so, I could 
have obtained the dominion of the whole world, 
or have avoided the greatest misfortunes and 
sufferings. I knew this and yet I have sinned 
daily, from morning until night, and formed, as 
it were, a continuous chain of venial sins. This I 
have done in jest. Alas! I have in jest of- 
fended Thee, my God — for a little comfort, 
through vainglory, for the sake of recreation. 
Brought to the verge of mortal sin and the pre- 
cipice of Hell; reckless of my salvation, I have 
set at naught the pains of Purgatory, due to 
these sins! O blindness to be lamented with 
bitter tears. " Who will give a fountain of tears 
to my eyes" (Jer. ix. i), that I may lament with 
uninterrupted sorrow my sins which have accu- 
mulated beyond the hairs of my head ? " O Lord ! 
To Thee have I sinned and have done evil before 
Thee !" (Psalm 1. 6.) But now I repent, I detest 
even the least sin. I will imprint indelibly on 
my mind these words: / will rather die than be 
stained with any sin however light. Terrified by the 
gravity of the slightest venial sin I purpose never 
ag^in to allow my soul to be contaminated with 
it. " As God liveth, so long as breath remaineth 
in me, and the spirit of God in my nostrils, my 
lips shall not . speak iniquity, neither shall my 
tongue contrive l3ang." (Job xxvii. 3.) 

I would rather lose all good and suffer all evil, 
than ever again sin even slightly " against my 
own soul." (Eccl. xix. 4.) *' O my God! en- 



Oil Venial Shi. 23 

lighten my darkness" (Psalm xvii. 29), that I may 
more clearly know, every day, the heinousness of 
venial sin. ^^ Enlighten my eyes that I may never 
sleep in death." (Psalm xii. 4.) " Renew a right 
spirit within my bowels" (Psalm 1. 12), that I 
may fly with great horror and aversion from 
whatever displeases Thy Divine Majesty. 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION. 

The fruit which is to be gathered from this 
Meditation is a deep-rooted, persistent and lasting 
horror of every deliberate venial sin, particularly 
of the sin you commit most frequently; which 
is the source of other defects, and which draws 
you into more immediate danger of greater sins. 

The means to obtain this horror are the fol- 
lowing : 

ist, Often to excite in yourself, and chiefly at 
the Particular Examen and before Confession, 
a lively sorrow for the venial sins you have com- 
mitted. 

2d, Whenever you go to Confession, select one 
venial sin, and firmly resolve to avoid with spe- 
cial care any relapse. 

3d, Often repeat, for instance, when the clock 
strikes, " I would rather lose my good name, my 
honor, my health, yes, even life itself, than allow 
my soul to be sullied with one venial sin, espe- 
cially the one which I have resolved to guard 
against." 

4th, It helps very much to represent to one's 



24 Solid Virtue, 

self, in Meditation or Confession, or holy Com- 
munion, the occasions of sinning venially; and to 
arm one's self by a previously conceived horror 
and determination to avoid them. Make often 
the following acts: ^'O God! if by a little im- 
patience I could avoid dishonor, sickness, death, 
or procure for myself the highest erudition, the 
esteem and the love of men, I would not give 
way to this sin." 

Such ejaculations are a powerful antidote against 
venial sins. 



On Tepidity. 

On Tepidity. 



POINT I. 

The Infallible Signs of Tepidity. 

They are tepid who have a horror only of 
mortal sin, and think very little of venial sin; 
who perform the spiritual exercises negligently, 
out of mere custom or human respect, with an 
interior disgust; who pray without attention, 
confess without amendment, communicate with-, 
out devotion and fruit; who perform their daily 
actions without a proper intention, without 
method or order; who, being intent on exterior 
things, seldom enter into themselves, and give 
their thoughts still less to God; who, content 
with mediocrity, neglect the pursuit of a higher 
virtue; who avoid those who aim at perfection, 
and eagerly seek the company of those who lead 
a life of greater laxity; who form a conscience of 
their own, by false principles, on the strength of 
which they endeavor to dull the edge of remorse; 
who, while frequenting the holy Sacraments, 
cherish interior aversions, envy, jealousy, pride, 
familiarities, and a spirit of murmuring and bit- 
terness; whose tongue is virulent and conten- 



26 Solid Virtue, 

tious; who foster a hidden self-love, which, se- 
cretly pervading all their actions, infects and 
taints them with its venom; who, weary of self- 
denial and labor, seek only ease and comfort. 
These are the indubitable signs of tepid souls, 
and if they be found in you doubt not of your 
being tepid. 

Lift then the curtain and look a little into your 
conscience. ' Perhaps with Ezechiel, who was 
commanded to look into the temple through 
that mystical aperture, you also shall see with 
astonishment '^ the wicked abominations which 
they commit all roundabout." (Ezech. viii. 9.) 

For what else are the wicked habits, the un- 
conquered impulses, the loose manners, the 
innumerable defects, with which, like a foul 
carcass, swarming with worms, your heart is in- 
fected ? What more shall I say? Your unbridled 
affections made of you that field of the slothful 
man, whose ground is all covered with the thorns 
of countless stains and blemishes. (Prov. xxiv. 

30.) 

You are the fig-tree by the wayside, on which 
our Lord found nothing but the leaves of pre- 
tended virtue and hypocrisy. (St. Matt. xxi. 19.) 

You are the earth, which drinketh in the rain 
that Cometh upon it, viz., the showers of graces; 
and bringeth forth thorns and briers of vice, and 
is thus very near to a curse. (Hebr. vi. 8.) Con- 
ceive, therefore, a horror of the miserable state 
of your soul; be filled with fear and confusion. 



On Tepidity, 27 



POINT II. 

The Dangers which Invariably Accompany 
Tepidity. 

Tht first danger is that of falling into mortal 
sin. The tepid live in a state of continual im- 
perfection, commit venial sins without remorse, 
and but seldom consider the malice of sin, and 
the motives which should prompt them to refrain 
from the commission thereof. The horror of 
mortal sin gradually diminishes, so that con- 
science becomes, as it were, familiar with it;, and 
so they play securely, as they imagine, even with 
impure temptations; rashly waver between ap- 
proval and dissent; doubt very little of the 
pleasure they have taken therein; allow danger- 
ous freedom to the senses, and form in their 
minds various principles, or rather subterfuges, 
with which to make excuses for their sins; until 
at last, under strong temptations, they are 
plunged headlong into some crime. Oh! if Hell 
were opened, how many voices should we not 
hear of the suffering inmates confirming this 
truth, and cursing their tepidity with unutterable 
anguish! 

^' He that contemneth small things shall fall 
by little an^ little" (Eccle. xix. i), is the oracle 
of the Holy Ghost. Unless therefore, O tepid 
religious, you expel from your mind this Ian- 



28 Solid Virtue, 

guor, you are in the greatest danger of falling 
into mortal sin and perhaps into Hell; and if this 
consideration do not rouse you from your tepid- 
ity you are already on the point of sleeping* 
quietly and perchance of dying in mortal sin. 

The second danger is, that a tepid soul is on 
the point of being cast away, with disgust, by 
Almighty God. This is proved by Holy Writ: 
•^ Because tliou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor 
hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth." 
(Apoc. iii. i6.) Behold, O miserable slave of 
tepidity! God begins to vomit you out of His 
mouth. God, the same God who earnestly seeks 
after sinners, and receives them with tenderness, 
is quite estranged from you, disgusted with 
your sickening lukewarmness, and is on the 
point of vomiting you forth with horror. O un- 
happy mortal, you have become abominable to 
the Divine Heart, and you fear not, you tremble 
not! You read these things without feeling, 
without emotion. You believe what you read, 
yet you shake not off your coldness! Alas! you 
go through these very considerations tepidly. O 
slothful religious! What shall ever awaken you 
from your torpor, if these thundering words 
rouse you not? God wishes men to be even 
cold rather than tepid, and seems to prefer the 
state of coldness to that of tepidity. He says, 
''I would that thou wert cold or hot." (Apoc. 
iii. IS.) 

We know this and 5^et we are tepid. O indif- 



On Tepidity, 29 

ference! O lukewarmness, deserving of avenging 
flames! 

The third danger is the risk of not dying a 
pious death. 

Death is the echo of life. It would, therefore, 
be wonderful if they were to die in a state of 
fervor who have lived in a state of tepidity. It 
is deplorable to see how carelessly, and with 
what want of devotion, these persons receive the 
last sacraments; if, indeed, they be not deprived 
of them altogether, and die suddenly in punish- 
ment of their tepidity. The last Confession is 
made inconsiderately, holy Viaticum is received 
without fervor. They are unconcerned and neg- 
ligently unconscious while Extreme Unction is 
administered to them; the pains of sickness are 
borne impatiently, as if the sufferings of Christ 
had never been heard of by these unfortunate 
religious. For want of previous exercise in de- 
votion they heed not the priest who suggests 
pious affections; they drop into their agony in 
a state of stupidity as to heavenly things. At 
last, by a chilling death they leave those who 
stand around in the greatest anxiety. They ap- 
pear before the terrible tribunal and are plunged 
if not directly into Hell, at least for an untold 
number of years into the flames of Purgatory. 
^^ O Lord, pierce Thou my flesh with Thy fear" 
(Psalm cxviii. 120), that, terrified by these dan- 
gers, I may shake off my tepidity and serve Thee 
henceforward more fervently. 



30 Solid Virtue. 



POINT III. 

It is very hard to cure tepidity. 

In order that one may apply a remedy it is 
necessary that he should first know the evil and 
its malignity. Now the tepid do not believe 
that they are tepid, at least they do not perceive 
the dangers of the malady, for blindness of mind 
is the inseparable companion of tepidity. The 
knowledge of the unhealthy state of their souls 
would already suppose some fervor. Moreover, 
they who, in the performance of their daily 
exercises of piety, occasionally, though very im- 
perfectly, do some good, are deluded by a false 
appearance of virtue, and do not see their 
miseries, nor provide a remedy for them, and 
this it is which renders the cure so very difficult. 

The tepid religious may be compared to that 
class of sick persons to whom, on account of the 
disordered state of the stomach, medicines 
themselves become a poison. For meditations, 
examens of conscience, confessions, communions, 
masses and spiritual exercises are gone through 
by them without any fruit, because they are 
performed slothfully and without attention, and 
thus the only means most efficacious to expel 
tepidity and acquire fervor are, by them, turned 
to the detriment of their souls. For this reason 
St. Bernard in the 96th letter to the Abbot Fon- 
tanus says, very truly: ^' More readily will you 



On Tepidity. 31 

find many worldlings abandoning their evil ways, 
and returning to God, than one tepid religious 
correcting his faults and becoming fervent." 
The greatest sinners are often awakened from 
their death-slumber by merely looking upon the 
Crucifix, by reflecting upon the Last Judgment 
or the eternity of Hell; while, on the contrary, a 
slothful religious, who is accustomed to meditate 
carelessly and without proper attention upon 
these eternal truths, is as little touched by them 
as those who daily assist the dying are by the 
sight of death. 

Finally, the onty remedy for this evil would 
be some extraordinary grace, by the overwhelm- 
ing influence of which this inveterate torpor 
would be shaken off. But languid religious 
whose minds are engrossed with exterior things, 
owing to the tumult of their passions, far from 
taking advantage of the ordinary graces, turn a 
deaf ear to them, and render themselves unwor- 
thy of such extraordinary graces. 

No wonder, then, that God gives up at last 
rousing them, and allows them to sleep on,4[n 
avenging darkness. 

It too often happens that they perform even 
good works with a bad intention, and sin con- 
tinually. Although, now and then, some heavenly 
ray illumines the blindness of their minds and 
melts their frozen hearts, still these momentary 
fi.ts of fervor soon vanish, and the state of torpor 
is resumed, and hardly ever shaken off but with 



32 Solid Virtue. 

life. Who shall now deny that it is very difficult 
to cure this malady ? O the dismal and destructive 
effect of this languor! which is the more to be 
feared as it is common. And this makes the 
state of tepidity so deplorable. 

Shake off, therefore, O my soul, thy tepidity! 
redeem lost time. Renew thyself, and " be mind- 
ful whence thou art fallen. Do penance now" 
and begin to reform, or else fear that God in His 
anger will ^' come to thee and will remove thy 
candlestick out of its place." (Apoc. ii. 5.) 

The remedies to banish this languor, are: 

ist. A fervent meditation to be performed 
every morning. 

2d. Pious and attentive spiritual reading every 
day. 

3d. A daily examination of conscience joined 
with the particular examen. 

4th. A short recollection, for at least half an 
hour every month. 

SELF-EXAMINATION. 

On Human Respect. 

One of the greatest obstacles to solid virtue is 
human respect. This malady of the soul con- 
sists in a depraved desire to please men, and in 
a servile fear of displeasing them. 

It is clear that it originates in pride, from 
which this fear of contempt and love of esteem 
arise. Therefore, searching the inmost recesses 
of vour heart, seriouslv examine: 



071 Tepidity, 33 

ist. Whether you have not committed many 
evil deeds from this vain fear of displeasing 
others, and omitted many good works out of a 
base desire to please them. If you have done so 
"Know that for all these God will bring you 
unto judgment." (Eccle. xi. 9.) This plague is 
a mad folly, the most galling tyranny and the 
greatest contempt of God. 

2d. Inquire diligently whether you believe with 
a lively faith the following oracles of Eternal 
Truth. " No man can serve two masters'* (Matt, 
vi. 24.); that is to say, Christ and the world. 
" Whoever will be a friend of this world, becometh 
an enemy of God." (St. James iv. 4.) "If I did 
yet please men I should not be the servant of 
Christ." (Gal. i. 10.) " God hath scattered the 
bones of them that please men." (Ps. lii. 6.) 

Examine, therefore, whether you seek not the 
favor of men by ceremonious behavior, by ab- 
ject flattery, by fulsome praise, by imitating the 
manners of worldlings? Senseless mortal that 
you are! what you so eagerly seek is as dust, 
which is blown away, as smoke that is scattered 
abroad by the wind, as a thin fog which is dis- 
persed by the storm. You are like the dog in 
the fable which lost the reality by snatching at 
the shadow; you neglect eternal, that you may 
enjoy transitory goods. 

3d. Consider whether you are practically per- 
suaded of this truth, which is inculcated by 
Christ. " Fear ye not them that kill the body 



34 Solid Virtue, 

and are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear 
Him that can cast both body and soul into Hell.'* 
(Matt. X. 28.) See, therefore, whether you are 
firmly resolved to incur the displeasure and 
hatred of men; to be harassed by jests and 
mockeries of your companions, to be excluded 
from their gatherings, to be ridiculed, despised 
and shunned by them, rather than offend God 
by a single venial sin. Why do you hesitate? 

Hear what the Holy Spirit says: ^' Be not 
ashamed of any of these things, and accept no 
persoa to sin thereby." (Eccl. xlii. i.) *' Cursed 
be the man that trusteth in man and maketh 
flesh his arm/* (Jer. xvii. 5.) 

4th. Lastly, examine whether you are troubled 
and take it ill when others speak coldly to you, 
avoid your company, turn away from you, and 
shun you ? This is the very thing, you say, 
which is so hard to nature and which stings me. 

But tell me why do you grieve at the removal 
of deceptions ? Why do you lament the drying 
up of a source of much weariness of spirit ? Why 
do you regret the loss of that companionship, the 
abstaining from which will one day be your joy ? 

Is not God better to you than a dozen such 
companions, yea, than a thousand of such erring, 
inconsistent- and wicked friends? Rather re- 
joice that the world hates you, for it is a sign 
that Christ has chosen you from out of the 
world. " If you had been of the world, the 
world would love its own; but because you are 



On Tepidity. 35 

not of the world, therefore the world hateth 
you." (St. John xv. 19.) Be glad, therefore, 
and rejoice. ^''Know ye that it hated Me before 
you." (St. John XV. 18.) "The disciple is not 
above his Master." (Matt. x. 24.) 

Rejoice exceedingly that you are treated by 
the world in the same manner in which Christ 
was treated. 

Finally, this transitory contempt, which tepid 
persons evince for you, is abundantly compen- 
sated for by the genuine and enduring esteem 
of the just on earth, and the Blessed in Heaven. 
Yea, these very scoffers, at the end of their lives, 
and on the last day, will praise you. Although 
such revilers may have "a forehead of brass" 
(Is. xlviii. 4), God will give you, if you carry 
out your heroic resolution, *^a face stronger than 
their faces, and a forehead harder than their 
foreheads." (Ezech. iii. 8.) 

You have only to receive their taunts and 
railleries for the first few days with undaunted 
courage, and you shall have conquered. These 
ver}^ same people will afterwards praise you, 
and, as they thought little of you, when you 
were like themselves, so will they revere you 
now for being unlike themselves. 

Follow, then, the advice of St. Paul: Turn 
your back upon the world and let it be crucified; 
laugh at it, when it laughs; despise it, when it 
despises; and setting at naught its judgments, 
fear only the judgments of God. 



36 Solid Virtue. 

iHebitation 2. 

On the Abuse of Grace. 



POINT I. 

The Enormity of the Abuse of Grace. 

This is first proved by the absolute need of 
grace. There is the greatest necessity for grace, 
because faith teaches, on the one hand, that with- 
out it no supernatural act can be performed 
meriting an eternal reward (Council of Trent, 
Sess. 6, Can. 3), and, on the other, no one who 
has arrived at the age of discretion can, without 
such an act, attain salvation. Therefore, since 
such a supernatural act is absolutely necessary 
to work out our salvation, and since no one can 
perform such an act without supernatural grace, 
whoever neglects grace throws away a means 
which is absolutely necessary to work meritori- 
ously and gain Heaven. Consequently, when- 
ever, O senseless mortal ! you reject an impulse 
of grace, you waste a talent, whereby alone an 
immortal crown can be merited; you cast away 
a precious stone with which God can be pur- 
chased, and you think but little of it ! But the 
hour shall come in which you shall bitterly weep 
over such an unpardonable abuse of grace; 
lamenting shall you cry out, " When I could, 
I would not." 



On the Abuse of Grace, 37 

The second proof is drawn from the worth 
and excellence of grace itself. 

Grace w^hich is offered is an immense good, 
surpassing all the treasures of the earth, and, 
after sanctifying grace, and the Beatific Vision, 
transcending everything that is not God ^ it is 
the price of the blood and death of Christ; it is 
the beginning, the increase, and the reward of 
our merits; it is the seed of eternal glory; for, 
after every actual grace, if you co-operate with 
it, follows a higher degree of indwelling grace, 
and consequently a greater degree of glory 
which will last forever. What then can be more 
foolish than to reject this heavenly gift, thi^ 
divine fruit, this seed of glory! and yet this is 
done in a jesting way, as it were without re- 
morse, for a mere nothing; for the loss of the 
least thing grieves us more than the loss of 
grace. But woe to us! if we only then begin to 
estimate its worth, when we shall be deprived 
of it. 

The third proof of the enormity of the abuse 
of grace is its munificence. 

The graces bestowed are exceedingly great; 
namely: vocation to the religious life, elevation 
to the dignity of the priesthood and the cure of 
souls, besides the novitiate, the yearly eight 
days' retreat, the renewal of the spirit twice 
every year, the frequent sharing in the holy 
mysteries, and so on Moreover, these graces 
follow each other in uninterrupted succession: 



38 Solid Virtue, 

the daily masses, meditations, examens, spiritual 
readings, examples, exhortations and internal 
inspirations. 

Lastly, they are efficacious in themselves, as 
the theologians speak, considered in their entity 
or congruity, since these same graces, if they 
had been given in the same number to other per- 
sons, would have made them the greatest saints, 
and they would have been sufficient to convert 
the most wicked men; but they are deprived in 
us of their e;ffect, solely because they are volun- 
tarily rejected by us. Therefore, since we resist 
such great, continued and efficacious graces, 
and despise these heavenly gems as so much 
tinsel, no wonder that the abuse of grace is 
something very enormous and heinous. 

"Woe to thee, Corozain! Woe to thee, Beth- 
saida! " Woe to thee, O religious! '' for, if in Tyre 
and Sidon had been wrought the mighty works 
that have been wrought in you, they would have 
done penance, long ago, sitting in sackcloth and 
ashes." - (St. Luke x. 13.) On the Day of Judg- 
ment there shall arise *^ from the East and from 
the West" (St. Matt. viii. 11), the heathen and 
the heretic; there shall also arise many Catholics 
who lived In the world, your pupils, your peni- 
tents, your hearers, whom you have animated to 
the faithful correspondence with grace; they 
shall arise, I say, and accuse you of so horrible 
abuse of grace. 

The blood of Jesus Christ shed in vain for 



0)1 the Abuse of Grace, 39 

you, and which procured for you so many graces 
shall call for vengeance. Alas! with what terror 
shall this thought torment and overwhelm you 
on your death-bed : I could have become a 
saint, and so easily, and I ought to have be- 
come one by virtue of my rules and my voca- 
tion, and, nevertheless, I have made little or no 
progress. 

O Lord, I detest my malice and great ingrati- 
tude! Alas! what have I done^ when I rebel- 
liously resisted so many graces ? I have foolishly 
despised the price of the Blood of Jesus Christ, 
the ray of Thy Divinity, the pledge of eternal 
salvation. Grant that I may at least correspond 
with constant fidelity to the present grace, which 
is perhaps the last. 



POINT II. 

The Punishment of the Abuse of Grace. 

Those who abuse sufficient graces are usually 
punished by the withdrawal of such as are effi- 
cacious. "*" 

* (jX2i\\2, excitans dicitur vel sufficiens vel efficax. Sufficiens 
pure talis, et ut efficaci opposita, est gratia excitans quatenus 
non obtentura liberum hominis consensum, ad quern tamen 
obtinendum sufficit. Efficax est gratia excitans liberum 
hominis consensum certo et infallibiter obtentura. 

[Exciting or impelling grace is either sufficient or effica- 
cious. Sufficient grace, purely such, and as opposed to effi- 



40 Solid Virtue, 

And this is of all punishments the greatest, the 
most just and the one ordinarily inflicted. 

ist. It is of all the punishments in this world 
the greatest. 

There is nothing to be dreaded so much as 
that which alienates us from God, the Sovereign 
Good, and subjects us to the sovereign evil — sin 
and Hell. Now this is the deplorable effect of the 
withdrawal of efficacious graces. For efficacious 
graces prevent the commission of sin, the cause 
of damnation, since they are by the decree of 
God the absolute necessary means by which we 
are to work out our salvation; and, indeed, so 
essentia' are they that without them we can 
never possess God, nor avoid damnation. True, 
with merely sufficient grace we could be saved; 
but in reality we never shall be saved by them 
alone. We shall surely sin, and consequently be 
damned. 

The withdrawal of grace is, therefore, what 
most turns us away from the Supreme Good, 
God and Heaven, and brings us nearest to the 
worst of evils, sin and Hell. Consequently of all 
punishments in this world it is the greatest and 
the most terrible. Moreover, according to com- 
mon consent, there can be no more awful chas- 
tisement in this life than that which hardens the 

cacious, is exciting grace, inasmuch as not about to obtain 
the free consent of man, though it is sufficient to obtain it. 
Efficacious grace is exciting grace which will surely and in- 
fallibly obtain the free consent of man.] 



On the Abuse of Grace. 41 

wicked and confirms them in their evil ways; 
which blinds their understanding so that they 
see not the perilous state of their soul; which 
binds, as it were, their will so that they are not 
anxious to extricate themselves from this dan- 
ger, which deprives them of the best means of 
repentance, and paves the way to all vices, mak- 
ing them more prone to evil and more ready to 
fall. 

Now all this is the result of the loss of effica- 
cious grace. For when the Almighty allows us 
to be slandered, visits us with sickness, afflicts us 
with persecutions, it is a punishment, it is true, 
but not the greatest, since in these particulars 
He intends and seeks to turn us from sin, and 
convert us to Himself, and thus acts rather as a 
Father who desires the conversion and correction 
of the sinner than as a Judge or Avenger of sin. 

But when He denies sinners the light by which 
they could discover the deformity of vice, de- 
priving them of inspirations by which they could 
be moved to its detestation, then, indeed, He 
rages *' as a bear that is robbed of her whelps" 
(Osee xiii. 8.) Then the omnipotent anger of 
God strikes with great affliction, with an exceed- 
ingly great evil, with an incurable bruise, with 
a very severe wound, the wound of an enemy 
(Jer. xxx. 12 and 14), with a chastisement so ter- 
rible that He could not inflict a greater. 

2d. It is the most just punishment. 

Divine grace is a visitation of the Heavenly 



42 Solid Virtue, 

Bridegroom, who, standing at the door of your 
heart, knocks, begs and even urges to be admit- 
ted. You open not; you hear not His voice; you 
deny Him entrance. At last God, as it were, 
tired, ceases to knock, and being despised by 
frequent refusals goes away. What can be more 
just? Grace is a torch by whose light God de- 
sires to enlighten the mind, and by its ardor to 
inflame the will; but you close the avenues of 
your heart, you seek only darkness, and like the 
owl fly light and warmth. 

At length the Sun of Justice, so often frus- 
trated, ceases to shine, and hides its rays. What 
can be more just? 

Grace is an inestimable gift, a most precious 
gem, and a pledge of eternal glory. God offers it 
of His own accord, without being asked. He 
even forces it upon you, and begs you would ac- 
cept it, and this He repeats after so many reit- 
erated repulses. But you contemn this gift; you 
refuse to accept this gem; you think nothing of 
this pledge. At last God very justly ceases to 
offer it, or to press you to accept it. Who will 
think that this is wrong? Is not then the with- 
drawal of grace which has been so neglected and 
despised a most just punishment? O Great 
God! it is indeed a most just chastisement. But 
pardon me! I promise to do better for the fu- 
ture. Afflict me wuth any other punishment. 
Oh! do not chastise me with this. 

3d. It is the ordinary pu?7ishment. 



On the Abuse of Grace. 43 

There is no chastisement more frequently 
threatened by God, through Moses, the prophets 
and the Royal Psalmist, than this very withdrawal 
of grace. 

^' I let them go according to the desires of their 
heart: they shall walk in their own inventions." 
(Ps. Ixxx. 13.) *^ Blind the heart of this people, 
and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes." 
(Is. vi. 10.) ^^ He hath blinded their eyes, and 
hardened their hearts, that they should not see 
with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts." 
(St. John xii. 40.) ^^ The kingdom of God shall 
be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation 
bringing forth the fruits thereof." (Matt. xxi. 
43.) These and other such passages threaten- 
ing the wrath of God meet our eyes in almost 
every page of Holy Writ. The examples which 
writers of Sacred History relate prove abun- 
dantly that this taking away of grace has been 
in the Old and New Law usual and very fre- 
quent, aye, even in our own times. 

We often wonder why God bears so patiently 
with so many tepid religious, who, notwithstand- 
ing abundant means, fulfil the duties of their 
state so negligently; particularly the obligations 
they are under to aspire to perfection. "Ah!" 
says St. Augustine, " God punishes them with a 
secret chastisement which is all the heavier 
because it is hidden, while he deprives them 
of His graces and allows them to sleep in their 
torpor." 



44 Solid Virtue, 

Hence it is that they regard as trifles thoughts, 
looks and actions that are dangerous; that they 
make light of aversions, particular friendships, 
hatred, murmuring, anger and detraction. They 
deem neglect of the duties of their office and 
violations of their vows trifling. Hence, they 
make for themselves various excuses by which 
they try to palliate their faults instead of employ 
ing the means by which they could overcome 
them. Would to God that sad experience did not 
teach us that this usually happens in religious 
communities. Search, therefore, the innermost 
recesses of your heart, and see whether you have 
not often experienced this loss of grace. Think of 
the annual retreats, of the days of recollection, 
and of other such periods of special grace; are 
you not obliged to confess that since that time 
you have been deprived of many graces, because 
you neglected to co-operate with them? For God 
forsakes, at last, those who forsake Him. Take 
heed that this very same misfortune which has 
befallen so many may not happen to you also. 
Perhaps the series of graces destined for you is 
already on the point of being taken from you to 
be given to the more deserving. Be in dread, 
*' the judgments of God are a great abyss." 
(Psalm XXXV. 7.) Although this is the most ter- 
rible, yet it is the usual punishment, and it is 
also a very just one. 



On the Abuse of Grace. 45 



AFFECTIONS. 

" O Lord, terrible and exceeding great!" (Eccl. 
xliii. 31.) *^ Fear and trembling are come upon 
me." (Psalm liv. 6.) I fear, alas! lest Thou sayest 
to me, striking me as Thou didst Saul, with a 
thunderbolt "As thou hast rejected the word of 
the Lord, the Lord hath also rejected thee." 
(i Kings XV. 23.) 

" The Lord hath sought him a man according 
to His own heart." (i Kings xiii. 14.) 

" The Lord hath given the chain of gifts which 
were prepared for thee to thy neighbor w^ho is 
better than thee." (i Kings xv. 28.) I fear lest 
in punishment of such frightful abuse, " the 
Kingdom of God shall be taken from me, and 
shall be given to a soul bringing forth the fruits 
thereof." (Matt. xxi. 43.) Who will not tremble 
at the thought that in the Kingdom of God's 
grace Samuel was put in the place of Heli, Da- 
vid in that of Saul, and Matthias in that of Judas? 

If this was done to a pontiff, to a king, to an 
Apostle, what shall be done to me? O unhappy 
moment when I resisted the impulse of grace! 
Oh, what an irreparable loss I sustained of an 
inestimable treasure ! 

"Who shall give water to my head and a foun- 
tain of tears to my eyes ?" (Jer. ix. i) wherewith I 
may bewail such an enormous contempt of the 
Divine Goodness! Would to God those neglected 
inspirations might return! O how^ faithful would 



46 Solid Virtue. 

I not be to them! How I would listen to them. 
Unworthy though I am that Thou shouldst again 
help me, yet I hope to obtain from Thy infinite 
goodness the victorious grace which will put an 
end to my former life and enable me to begin a 
holier one ; because even ^' when Thou art angry 
Thou wilt remember mercy." (Habacuc iii. 2.) 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION. 

The fruit of this Meditation is an heroic reso- 
lution to listen henceforward to the voice of God 
and to co-operate with actual grace : 

I St. Promptly, by avoiding all delays. 

2d. Generously, by overcoming all obstacles. 

3d. Cojtstantly, by guarding against all remiss- 
ness in what has once been undertaken. 

The means to arrive at this are the following: 

ist. Examine seriously and often, particularly 
at the end of Meditation, or after Holy Com- 
munion, or in visits to the Blessed Sacrament, 
what God by reiterated impulses of grace wishes 
you to do or to omit; for instance what self- 
denial and victory over your inclinations; what 
sacrifices, what rooting out of vice, what practice 
of virtue. He particularly demands. 

2d. Above all endeavor to acquire recollec- 
tion of mind and tranquillity of heart, because 
the whisperings of divine grace are hardly per- 
ceived amidst the tumult of a troubled heart. 



SECOND DAY. 



SECOND DAY. 

After having removed the principal obstacles 
to solid virtue, we are to look for the most ef- 
fectual means of acquiring it. These are as fol- 
lows: A perfect performance of our daily ac- 
tions ; a constant recollection; a diligent use of 
the particular examen, and a fervent daily prayer 
or Meditation. ' 

These are the four voluble w^heels (Ezech. 
X. 13) by which the soul will be carried to the 
highest pitch of perfection; ^' for the spirit of 
life is in them." (Ezech. x. 17.) 

By the exercises of this Second Day we shall 
be convinced of the utility of putting these four 
means into daily practice until they become our 
constant rule of life. The considerations of this 
day will then answer to what is called the ^* Illu- 
minative Way." 



Incentives for our Daily Actions. 49 



iHebitation 1. 

Incentives to the Perfect Per- 
formance OF OUR Daily Ac- 
tions. 



point I. 

The Gain Which Ceases. 

{Lucrmn Cessans.) 

Man's life is a chain consisting of different links 
which are his daily recurring actions. These^ if 
performed with the required perfection, are acts 
of virtue; consequently if these actions be per- 
formed in a holy manner, our whole life shall be 
as a golden chain, the links of which will be 
formed by the happy succession of virtue after 
virtue. The Council of Trent (Sess. 6, Canon 
31) teaches that for every salutary act which is 
done by the just a degree of sanctifying grace is 
given; and that every degree of such a grace 
entitles them to a degree of eternal glory. 
Hence it follows that their daily works when 
performed in the proper spirit merit innumera- 
ble degrees of grace in this life and glory in the 
next. We each day perform at least twenty dif- 
ferent actions. How many more in a week, and 
what a still greater number in a month. Now 
should these actions be perfectly performed, we 



50 Solid Virtue, 

gain in one month more than six hundred de- 
grees of grace in this life, and as many of glory 
in the next. 

But one degree of grace and glory is of such 
value that were the saints capable of sorrow 
they would lament the loss of one such degree of 
glory. And we now blindly despise this possible 
profit; we reckon as naught this irreparable neg- 
lect of so many degrees of grace and of glory. 
Oh, what a different opinion shall we form at 
the hour of death, and at the judgment seat! 
Therefore, O soul, destined for Heaven, recollect 
thyself, and consider the greatness of the gain 
irretrievably lost. Behold, O religious! if you 
perform well this Meditation which you are now 
making you shall see God for all eternity one 
degree more clearly, you shall love Him per- 
petually one degree more; but if you meditate 
carelessly you shall love the immense amiability 
of God one degree less; you shall behold His 
infinite beauty one degree less clearly, and this 
eternally; and this happens on account of your 
shameful sloth which could be so easily shaken 
off. Those are not worthy of Heaven who are 
not sorry for depriving themselves of such a gain. 

I am filled with sorrow, O my Creator and 
my God! What have I done when I performed 
such and such a work imperfectly? I have in 
my folly forfeited a greater happiness forever; 
the opportunity of beholding Thee perpetually, 
O most Beauteous Love, in a clearer manner, 



Incentives for our Daily Actions, 51 

and of loving Thee more ardently. Oh, let me 
weep! all this I have done for some miserable 
gratification. 



POINT II. 

The Harm That Arises. 
{Damnum emergens?) 

First. The careless performance of our actions 
leads to a more woful death. Oh ! how this 
thought will torment me as I stand on the thresh- 
old of eternit}^ Being a religious, I w^as obliged 
to aim at perfection befitting my state; to fulfil 
this obligation I had at hand the easiest and most 
efficacious means, to wit, the exact performance 
of my daily works; for this is, according to all 
spiritual writers, the shortest, the least difficult, 
and the most certain road to perfection. I knew 
it, and yet I neglected to use this means. O 
my God! I could have lived a life of holiness, 
and so easily, had I only in my every-day actions 
shaken off my sluggishness; had I diligently ob- 
served tlie rules prescribed for performing them 
well; had I fostered good intentions and per- 
formed not other works but these same works 
diligently. But now, O detestible sloth! I have 
increased the pains of Purgatory by these very 
actions, whilst had I overcome myself a little I 
could have ascended to that high throne of 
glory which my fellow-religious now occupy. 



52 Solid Virtue, 

Others acted differently; encouraged by their 
example I also purposed to do the same; I even 
began — oh, had I but continued! Ah! I remem- 
ber well the troubles, miseries, and hardships 
which during the course of my life occurred in 
the discharge of my daily actions. How many 
difficulties had to be surmounted! Oh! how 
great a glory in Heaven could I have merited by 
all these. How exceedingly great was my folly! 
Instead of reward I have accumulated the chas- 
tisements of Divine Justice. 

These shall be the thoughts of a dying person, 
who during life hurried through and negligently 
performed the wonted functions. Woe is me! 
I have done but little good, and this little care- 
lessly. My whole life has been nothing but a 
chain of defects, by which the enemy shall drag 
me before the Divine Judge. 

Secondly. The sluggish performance of our 
daily actions brings on a more rigorous judg- 
ment. As soon as we die our works good or bad 
follow us to the tribunal of God, for " we must all 
be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, 
that every one may receive the proper things of 
the body, according as he hath done, whether it 
be good or evil." (2 Cor. v. 10.) 

There it will not be* asked what illustrious part 
we have played on this world's stage, but how 
well we have acted it out ; nor what honorable 
positions we have filled, but how well we have 
filled them ; nor how satisfactorily we have borne 



Incentives for our Daily Actions. 53 

the burden imposed upon us, but how holily we 
have sustained it — in short, our daily works will 
form the principal subject of that examination. 
*^ For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of 
His Father, w4th His angels, and then will He 
render to every man according to his works." 
(St. Matt. xvi. 27.) 

O soul ! what shall then be thy feelings when 
the Divine Judge, after having examined the im- 
perfect state of thy account, shall say, '^ Behold, I 
have called thee to great sanctity, I have given 
thee a very easy means to acquire it, viz., to per- 
form well the ordinary duties of thy station in 
life, therefore thou art inexcusable." (Rom. ii. i.) 
Thou art inexcusable because thou didst pay more 
attention to amusements than to thy prayers, 
thou wast more mindful of thy studies than of 
the holy sacrifice of the Mass ; and because 
thou hast served the great God of Heaven for an 
eternal reward with less eagerness than seculars, 
for a paltry gain, serve the world. Alas, O God ! 
*' searcher of hearts and reins" (Psalm vii. 10), 
what shall I, miserable sinner, say then ? I can- 
not give one answer for a thousand accusations 
(Job ix. 3), and '' if I would justify myself my own 
mouth shall condemn me ; if I would show my- 
self innocent He shall prove me wicked" (Job ix. 
20); my own works shall condemn me — I feel 
shame and sorrow. I resolve henceforth to lead 
a more perfect life — grant me pardon and remis- 
sion before the day of reckoning. 



54 Solid Virtue, 

Thirdly, The hasty performance of our daily 
actions entails a greater and longer punishment. 
Oh ! what will your terror be at Judgment to 
find that by so many labors you have merited 
torments instead of rewards, and that all your 
actions in which you so often gloried, and pre- 
ferred yourself to others, are, on account of the 
imperfect manner in which they were performed, 
mere chaff in the eyes of God, and destined to 
the flames of Purgatory. Labor and sorrow, 
whether we be willing to endure them or not, are 
the invariable concomitants of the life of every 
mortal. How lamentable then if, after having 
endured the miseries and afflictions of life (which 
certainly are neither few nor light), we deserve 
only Purgatory for neglecting to fulfil perfectly 
our ordinary duties. O unfortunate religious ! 
what shall you think when, upon entering Purga- 
tory, you shall behold yourself in the midst of fire, 
darkness and torments ; and this for the very ac- 
tions by the perfect performance of which you 
could so easily have avoided its flames, and aug- 
mented your glory in Heaven ? If you be wise, 
now is the acceptable time; while the days of sal- 
vation last provide diligently for yourself. Oh ! 
could a soul in Purgatory return to the world, how 
zealously would it not perform its daily actions ! 
You are therefore guilty of an unpardonable 
cruelty towards yourself if you do not act as 
this soul would do, and you shall one day bitterly 
deplore your neglect. 



Incentives for oar Daily Actions, 55 



AFFECTIONS. 

O God of virtues ! justly with the Prophet Job 
" I fear all my works." (Job ix. 28.) '' My days 
have been swifter than a post, they have fled 
away and have not seen good." (Job ix. 25.) 
^^ My days were consumed in vanity." (Psalm 
Ixxvi. 2fZ-) After so many years of life, I have 
not been able to show any marks of virtue, but 
*'am consumed in my wickedness." (Wisdom v. 
13.) " My works are unprofitable works, and my 
thoughts are unprofitable thoughts." (is. lix. 
6, 7.) I have labored in vain ; I have spent my 
strength without cause and in vain (Is. xlix. 4), 
I feel the darkness of that night coming upon me 
'* when no man can work" (St. John ix. 4), and 
when time shall be no more to amass those im- 
mense gains, and to avoid those dreadful evils. I 
repent, full of shame and sorrow. O Lord! whose 
works are all exceeding good (Eccl. xxxix. 21), 
grant that henceforth I may perform only good 
actions and these well, to wit, with a pure inten- 
tion and with becoming fervor. Ah ! by a thou- 
sand titles I am Thine, for Thou hast formed me 
from the womb to be Thy servant. (Is. xlix. 5.) 
Accursed, therefore, be the actions which shall 
be performed for another end than the love of 
Thee. And as it is not becoming that the works 
which are done for Thee, Supreme Lord, should 
be performed negligently ; put Thyself as a seal 
upon my heart, that I may serve Thee for pure 



56 Solid Virtue, 

love; put Thyself ''as a seal upon my arm*' 
(Cant. viii. 6), that I may henceforth serve Thee 
fervently, by performing my daily actions per- 
fectly. 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION. 

The fruit will be a great exactitude in perform- 
ing the daily actions required in our state of life. 
That our actions may be done well, this exacti^ 
tude comprises three qualities. They must be 
performed : ist, with a pure intention; 2dly, with 
becoming and continued fervor ; 3dly, at the time 
prescribed — thus we shall do what God wills, 
how and when He wills it ; which is the shortest 
way to the highest perfection. The following 
rules will aid in the accomplishment of this: 
ist, to select from approved authors the method 
of performing our daily actions according to the 
rules of sanctity. 2d, strictly to observe the 
prescribed order of the day, for what is done in 
order is also done properly. 3d, after every ac- 
tion, particularly when it is of long duration, to 
examine ourselves with sorrow and purpose of 
amendment as to the faults committed during 
its performance. 4th, to perform every action 
as if it were the last of our lives. 



On Recollection. 57 

Consikration. 
On Recollection. 



POINT L t 

The Evlls of a Distracted Mind. 

^* If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast 
forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they 
shall gather him up and cast him into the fire, 
and he burneth." (St. John xv. 6.) 

These words declare the three evils of a dis- 
tracted mind. The first is a weakness and ina- 
bility to enter into one's self. " He shall be cast 
forth." For as the branch cut from the vine is 
thrown over the wall by the vine-dresser with- 
out any probability of its being ever looked after, 
so also the soul engrossed with external things 
is cast by the Heavenly Father from the bosom 
of His special Providence, and it will only with 
the greatest difficulty again revert. 

Nor should this surprise us. Such a soul is 
seldom present to itself, and more seldom pres- 
ent to God. Blind to heavenly manifestations, 
deaf to divine impulses, always rebellious to 
grace, it gradually becomes altogether earthly 
and carnal. It thinks on nothing but vanities, 
relishes only the things of earth, desires only 



58 Solid Virttie, 

what is agreeable to the senses. Its memory is 
like a public market or highway, a thoroughfare 
for all sorts of thoughts and imaginations. Its 
understanding is like a house with open doors 
and windows, to which there is free access and 
egress to all temptations, to the most foolish ideas 
and ermrs. Its will is like a ball which the tu- 
multucfts motions of the wind keep twirling to 
and fro. Lastly, the Meditations, the offering up 
of the Holy Sacrifice, the recitation of the Divine 
Office, communions, examens and confessions are 
but a tissue of distractions, a sink of imperfec- 
tions, a downright lethargy; consequently it fol- 
lows that, defiled with these stains, exposed on 
every side to the illusions of the enemy, it is 
brought at last to immediate danger of a greater 
fall. It is true that at intervals unhappy reli- 
gious will see and acknowledge their calamity. 
Wearied in the paths of sensuality, loathed by 
creatures, full of disgust they desire to enter into 
themselves; but as this cannot be done without 
a special grace (and God with avenging severity 
usually denies or at least delays it), banished by 
the world, repulsed by Heaven, and frightened 
at themselves, they suffer a hard but just exile 
from their own hearts. " He shall be cast forth." 
The second evil is dryness of heart and blind- 
ness of mind, coupled with a very great disgust 
for holy things. ^' He shall wither." As the 
branch cut from the vine withers away, so 
also such a soul separated by dissipation from 



0}i Recollection, 5g 

the mystical vine of Christ dries up altogether. 
At the most endearing mysteries of faith, in the 
midst of the delights of the Blessed Sacrament, 
under the very morning dew of meditation, it 
remains harder than flint; neither does Heaven 
attract it, nor Hell terrify it much, nor does the 
tribunal of God cause it great anxiety. It medi- 
tates or reads without feeling or without pious 
emotion the eternal truths which are apt to move 
even stony hearts; it is altogether stupefied in 
respect of heavenly things, and alive to earthly 
things alone. In the understanding there is noth- 
ing but darkness, in the will a bitter dryness, in 
the conscience nothing but remorse, in the whole 
soul the tumult of the passions threatening an 
entire dereliction of the service of God. '^ He 
shall wither." 

The third evil lies in the manifold chastise- 
ments with which a distracted soul is punished. 
St Augustine says, '^ The branch belongs either 
to the vine or to the fire." If it is not on the 
vine, it shall be in the fire; that is to say, a soul 
either must adhere to God by recollection, or it 
shall burn in the flames of temptations and of 
afllictions here, and hereafter of Purgatory. Vain 
thoughts and wicked imaginations shall run to 
and fro in such minds *4ike sparks among the 
reeds." At one time they will burn with envy, at 
another with lust, and then again with anger. 
Very soon they shall heap upon their heads hot 
coals of murmurings and detractions. 



6o Solid Virtue, 

They shail be thrown in the furnace of various 
afflictions. The dissipated mind is like to a wasp, 
which, after leaving its little cell, flies about ter- 
ror-stricken in the closed chamber, and strikes 
with all its might against the wall. Hence it 
happens that, hurt by jests and witticisms, stung 
by personal injuries and affronts, they fall into a 
gloomy state of mind, become very melancholy, 
full of bitterness and vexation, and drink only 
gall where they should suck honey. Lastly 
they shall be consigned to the purging flames, 
there to endure most excruciating torments and 
for a long time. For as their daily actions are 
nothing but fuel to increase the flames, there 
shall they burn until they have paid the last 
farthing. These are the three evils of a dis- 
tracted mind threatened by our Lord Himself. 

O great God, ^' in whom we live, and we move, 
and we are" (Acts xvii. 28), whose ^' eyes are upon 
the ways of men; and He considereth all their 
steps." (Job xxxiv. 21.) There is not one mo- 
ment in which Thou dost not remember me with 
fatherly care and affection; and I live whole days 
forgetful of Thee and Thy presence. '^ Hence- 
forth, if I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right 
hand be forgotten; let my tongue cleave to my 
mouth if I do not remember thee." (Ps. cxxxvi. 
5, 6.) 



On Recollection, 6i 

POINT 11. 

The Advantages of Recollection. 

ist. Recollection of mind preserves us from 
many offences against God, and from great 
weariness. For this thought ^^ God sees me" is 
the most efficacious means to withhold us from 
every fault. Since recollection consists princi- 
pally in such a thought, or in a watchful atten- 
tion to the fact that God is everywhere present, 
it is evident that it keeps one free from innumer- 
able sins. 

Besides, the three sources of recollection, viz.: 
the keeping to one's cell, the observance of si- 
lence, the avoiding of news, reunions and too 
many distracting occupations, preserve the soul 
from a world of weariness, melancholy, vexation 
and afflictions, which are always created by the 
neglect of recollection, and by too free a manner 
of acting with others. ^' For where men are, 
there also are vices;" where there is the free use 
of the tongue, there also words fly like arrows, 
inflicting wounds upon the soul which, when we 
enter our chamber, chafe, sadden and afflict us. 
It is certain, therefore, that recollection of mind 
delivers us from a great many sins and vexa- 
tions, and prevents much sadness and weariness. 

2d. It is the quickest and most efficacious 
means to acquire a high degree of perfection. 
Perfection consists in the exact fulfilment of our 



62 Solid Virtue, 

daily actions; for by performing them well we 
do what God wills, and in the manner He wills 
it. What makes us more prompt and ready to 
perform them thus than recollection of mind, 
which consists in affectionate attention to the 
Supreme Judge? "For w^e must all be mani- 
fested before the judgment seat of Christ, that 
every one may receive the proper things of the 
body, according as he hath done, whether it be 
good or evil." (2 Cor. v. 10.) 

No one has ever arrived at perfection without 
recollection, and the fonder and more desirous 
one is of it, the holier and more perfect will he 
be — for as, according to the teaching of the 
Fathers, the solitude of the heart is the mother 
and nurse of virtue, without it no degree of per- 
fect virtue will ever be attained or preserved. 
It is evident, therefore, that recollection is the 
most efficacious means to acquire perfection. 

3d. Recollection is an earthly heaven, for the 
recollected soul does in some measure what is 
done by the blessed in Heaven. It continually 
beholds and loves God everywhere present; and 
like those blessed ones it tastes a happy joy, be- 
ing exempt from all care and fear, and immersed, 
as it were, in an ocean of delights. Tranquillity, 
heavenly consolations, fervor, joy and confident 
security are the fruits of such happiness; and as 
the angels sent on earth by the Most High bring 
their beatitude with them, so, also, such a soul, 
though occupied with business, carries always 



071 Recollection, 63 

about it, as it were, a portable heaven, in which 
it never ceases to contemplate and to love the 
Divine Majesty. It follows, therefore, that a 
recollected soul experiences on earth a foretaste 
of the joys of Heaven. 

4th. Recollection is the source of the most ex- 
cellent graces, for it infuses into the soul that 
incomprehensible union, familiarity and com- 
muning with God, the delight and inestimable 
value of which no one knows except one who 
has experienced it. From it also proceeds the 
tacit testimony of the Holy Ghost whispering to 
this soul words of consolation, inspiring it with 
a firm hope of having obtained the pardon of its 
sins. This sweet assurance of being in the state 
of grace, and in the enjoyment of the divine 
friendship, invariably produces a happy peace, 
a consolation and joy altogether heavenly. 
Hence also arise wonderful facility, generous 
alacrity in the practice of virtue, propensity to 
the things of Heaven, disgust for everything 
earthly, very great tenderness and purity of 
conscience, which cause such a soul to fly from 
even the shadow of sin, and, lastly, perfect indif- 
ference to everything, so that it seeks nothing 
and fears nothing. In short, a recollected mind 
is constantly favored with innumerable heavenly 
inspirations, and the clearest and most sublime 
knowledge of eternal truths. The Holy Ghost 
becomes, as it were, the teacher, that never 
ceases to instruct and to dissipate all doubts and 



64 Solid Virtue. 

reveal what is hidden, intimating what should 
be don^, showing what should be avoided, cher- 
ishing and protecting the soul, as a provident 
mother does her offspring. To conclude, recol- 
lection is the means by which sins are banished 
and tedium is overcome; it is the mirror in 
which heavenly rays are concentrated; it is the 
channel through which divine graces flow; it 
is the principle of sanctity, the paradise of joys, 
and the nurse of interior peace. (Phil. iv. 7.) 

O blessed recollection! thou art truly an infi- 
nite treasure to men. (Wisdom vii. 14.) Oh, 
how prudent are they who give everything and 
spare no trouble to possess thee, but how sense- 
less are they who live regardless of such a good! 
How great, therefore, has been my folly! I am 
become as a dove that is decoyed, not having a 
heart. (Osee vii. 11.) I have allowed my heart to 
go freely among creatures; but now "when I 
return to Him again, I shall seek Him ten times 
as much." (Baruch iv. 28.) In the innermost 
recesses of my heart I will build a cell, and en- 
closed therein, dead to the world, I will live only 
for God. 

The practical conclusion of this consideration 
should be henceforth a frequent and constant 
exercise of the presence of God — that is, a con- 
tinual and affectionate attention to His immense 
Majesty evqr present within us. The means to 
carry out this resolution are: ist. To remain in 
your room. 2d. To withdraw yourself from. 



G71 Recollection. 65 

superfluous talking, and to love silence. 3d. To 
shun as much as is consistent with your duty- 
such occupations as have a tendency to distract 
the mind. 4th. Frequently throughout the day 
to excite in yourself acts of faith and love of 
God, who is present in the depths of your soul. 

SELF-EXAMINATION. 

On the Practice of the Particular Exainen. 

On a par with the perfection of our daily 
works and recollection of mind, the practice of 
the particular examen is one of the principal 
means of acquiring solid virtue, and justly so, 
for it produces the most excellent results, and is 
the speediest and most efficacious means of extir- 
pating vices and implanting virtues. This is 
the reason why its practice is recommended with 
so much earnestness by the holy Fathers and by 
spiritual writers, not only to those who begin to 
walk in the ways of sanctity, but also to those 
who have a long time trodden therein. 

ist. Inquire what subjects you are in the habit 
of choosing, whether or not fit ones for the par- 
ticular examen. Then see what is your predomi- 
nant passion, also what is the defect which gives 
you most trouble, which is the root of other de- 
fects, which is a hindrance to greater perfection, 
and which brings you nearer to mortal sin. 

2d. After these faults have been corrected, the 
subjects of the particular examen are the per- 



66 Solid Virtue. 

fection of our daily actions, fervor in prayer, 
recollection of mind and purity of intention, in 
order that you may conform yourself in all 
things to the rules of true sanctity. 

3d. After this you will labor particularly to 
acquire the virtue of which you stand most in 
need, and which certain circumstances indicate 
is of all others the most necessary for you. 

4th. The imperfection by which offence and 
trouble are given to others is especially to be 
corrected by this method. You should not, how- 
ever, be wholly occupied in correcting these ex- 
ternal faults. For as all the glory of the king's 
daughter (or the soul) is within (Psalm xliv. 14), 
all: your labor should first be directed to govern 
its internal motions, according to the rules of 
rectitude, so that all your rebellious appetites be 
entirely conquered. Therefore, examine whether 
jou have thus far observed all this, and decide 
what you will do in future. 

But, that you may with greater certainty reap 
the desired fruit, you must above all observe the 
following rules: 

ist. The root of the disease is to be carefully 
sought after, and when it has been discovered, 
every effort should at once be made to eradi- 
cate it. 

2d. This examination is made on only one 
thing, so that the particular vice you purpose to 
conquer by this means ought not to be attacked 
as a whole, but divided as it were into parts, 



Oil Recollection, 6y 

which you must gradually assail and defeat and 
thus overcome the whole. 

3d. The subject of this exercise should not be 
changed. They who allow themselves to pass 
lightly from one subject to another make a great 
mistake. Yet the primary subject may, accord- 
ing to circumstances and the disposition of the 
mind, be interrupted for a short time and be 
exchanged for another in order to avoid tedium; 
provided, however, that after some weeks one 
returns with renewed vigor to the purpose, and 
wages war more bitterly and energetically 
against the mortal enemy. See how far you 
have acquired a thorough knowledge of these 
rules. 

Besides this, examine yourself as to the meth- 
od of performing this exercise, which comprises 
these rules: 

ist. This spiritual warfare is to be commenced 
with a serious, fervent and very firm resolution 
of amendment, which is to be made every morn- 
ing and renewed at noon. This resolution of 
the mind is not to extend over the whole course 
of life, lest, frightened by the number of years, 
you despair of correction; but only from one 
half day to another, that, by this very shortness 
of the interval, you may be more powerfully 
animated to pursue with constancy the work 
you have undertaken. 

2d. During the day reasonable care should be 
taken to remember and foster this resolution by 



68 Solid Virtue, 

foreseeing the occasion wherein you are to put 
it into execution, by avoiding the danger of fall- 
ing, by asking of God the grace to fulfil your 
resolution, and by making an act of contrition 
as often as you fail. 

3d. Twice every day, at noon and in the 
evening, you should examine your conscience, 
and during these examinations you should in- 
quire what faults you have committed, and after 
having excited sorrow for them, and again 
promised amendment, you should mark the 
number of these faults in a little book kept for 
that purpose, so that you may compare the num- 
ber committed in the afternoon w^ith that of 
the morning; to-day with yesterday, the present 
w4th the past week; that by such comparison you 
may learn whether you have made any progress, 
or whether you remain miserably fixed in your 
old habits. Reflect now upon the care and 
exactness with which you have up to the present 
performed this exercise, or, at least, with which 
you are determined to perform it in future. 

Oh, what a severe account you will have to 
render before the great tribunal for having neg- 
lected this practice! Will you allow yourself by 
your indolence to be surpassed in an affair 
which concerns the salvation of your soul, and 
your progress in solid virtue by the very mer- 
chants who with such great care mark dowm in 
their account-books and daily ledgers their gains 
and losses? They will condemn the carelessness 



On Recollection, 69 

with which you have kept your accounts in this 
spiritual business. There shall arise so many 
happy inhabitants of Heaven, who, raised on 
high by means of these little books of the par- 
ticular examen, have reached such a height of 
sanctity and bliss. They shall arise, I say, and 
put you to shame for your supine neglect. Alas! 
how great then will be your confusion, when you 
see that these merchants have done more for mam- 
mon than you for God; when you shall see that 
you have lost so much time in useless note-tak- 
ing, and have not employed one single mioment 
to note down the faults of your soul, that you 
have made light of this excellent and most useful 
exercise, on the plea that it was a pious little 
practice suited to novices: that, after spending 
so many years in religion, you have not by it 
corrected a single fault or acquired a single vir- 
tue! Ah! if you be wise do now what if neg- 
lected will fill you with sorrow; if done, with 

joy. 

"O Lord! let the day perish, and let it not 
be counted in the days of the year" (Job iii. 6) in 
which I shall neglect to mark down my faults, 
and to make this profitable comparison. I am 
determined with the help of Thy grace that no 
day shall henceforth pass without this exercise. 
I v/ill prepare a little book, so that by this means, 
constantly practised, I may completely root out 
the vices of my soul, and implant therein all 
virtues. 



70 Solid Virtue, 

Ulcbitatton 2. 
On Fervor in Prayer, 



POINT I. 

Evil Results of Neglected Prayer. 

The first is that there is no progress in 
virtue. One's advancement in perfection is in 
proportion to one's ardor in prayer. Where there 
is very little fervor in prayer there is little or no 
progress in sanctity. St. Climacus measured the 
success of the whole day by the morning's medi- 
tation, for as the meditation is so the day is, and 
the whole tenor of one's life. As the effect of 
fervent prayer is a certain sweet propensity to 
w^hat is good, accompanied by a quiet recollec- 
tion, quickening and perfecting the actions of 
the day, and softly wafting the soul onward to 
sanctity, so the consequences of tepid prayer are 
a disrelish of divine things, an extreme languor 
in what is good, an outpouring of the soul on 
external things, and finally blindness, disquiet and 
dryness. Thus it happens that all good resolu- 
tions vanish, wicked affections spring up anew, 
temptations become stronger, and not only the 
edifice of perfection which one has begun to 
erect ceases to rise, but also the portion already 
built crumbles away; so that b}^ the course of 



On Fervor m Prayer, 71 

tepidity we fall from rectitude more in one day 
than we had progressed therein in many months. 
St. Chrysostom aptly remarks, " When I see re- 
ligious remiss in prayer then I think this of their 
souls: they have very little virtue and are 
adorned with very few divine gifts." So one's 
diligence in prayer corresponds with his amend- 
ment of life and fervor. 

Alas! my progress in virtue is very small, be- 
cause I pray either tepidly or not at all. Grant, 
therefore, O Lord! that every day with becoming 
fervor my eyes to Thee may prevent the morn- 
ing that I may meditate on Thy words. (Psalm 
cxviii. 148.) 

The second is that souls are not gained to God. 
Though one were gifted with the greatest talents 
and adornments of nature, if fervor of prayer be 
wanting, *' He is become as sounding brass or a 
tinkling cymbal " (i Cor. xiii. i); that is to say, 
a mere sound with the echo of which everything 
disappears. It is a beautiful musical instrument, 
but there is in it no melody. The tool without 
the artist's hand is useless; though the pen be 
very good it will form no letters unless it be 
guided by the writer. We are God's coadjutors 
and the instruments chosen by Him to procure 
the salvation of our neighbor; the link b}^ which 
we are united to the hand of God is prayer. 

Whosoever, therefore, neglects it will make no 
progress in so difficult an undertaking as the 
saving of souls. Although one of his hearers be 



*J2 Solid Virtue. 

converted or advanced in virtue this is not to be 
attributed either to his eloquence or to his learn- 
ing, but to the prayers of others, and to the 
merits of the Order of which he is a member. 
We shall find no one to have been renowned for 
bringing sinners to repentance or for teaching 
with great success who was not prayerful. 

Although there are many laborers in the vine- 
yard of the Lord there is but little harvest of 
souls, because the fervent use of this exercise is 
so rarely practised. Formerly one person alone 
sufficed to convert whole provinces, nowadays 
several are unable to convert one town. The 
reason is evident: they preach much but pray 
little, and this tepidly; therefore the influence 
and the fruit of their labors are small. Let 
those who desire to be instruments for the con- 
version of sinners be fervent in prayer; for 
prayer is the condition without which the graces 
necessary for this end will not be granted. 
Spiritual writers justly conclude that they who 
have to save souls must pray more than study, 
" Many make it their aim rather to know much 
than live well, therefore they are often deceived 
and bring forth little or no fruit." (Foil, of 
Christ, i. 3, 4.) 

O Guardian Angel! obtain for me the grace 
not to place any barrier in the way of others* sal- 
vation, and thus not to increase immensely the 
account which I shall have to render to the 
Divine Judge. 



On Fei'vor in Prayer, 73 

The third is the imminent danger of falling 
away from sanctifying grace, and of even quit- 
ting religious life. 

That religious who neglect prayer are not far 
from falling into great sins and losing their sa- 
cred calling is a truth which the damned in Hell 
and the dying from their sick-beds with one 
voice proclaim. The reason is obvious: in order 
to persevere in the state of grace and the reli- 
gious vocation, a special aid is required, as the 
Council of Trent' teaches. (Sess. vi. Can. 22.) 
But prayer, as St. Augustine says, is the channel 
by w^hich the heavenly supplies flow to us, and 
the condition without which they shall not be 
granted. It is, therefore, a necessary conse- 
quence that where prayer fails perseverance also 
fails; and no wonder, for meditation preserves 
the light which illumines the soul, and exhibits to 
the understanding the malice and enormity of 
sin and the rigor of Divine Justice. It fosters 
motions by which the will shuns evil and em- 
braces good, otherwise darkness prevails in the 
intellect and coldness in the will; consequently 
Lancicius with truth writes thus: ^'All religious 
who fall into mortal sin, or who forsake their 
holy state have either omitted or shortened their 
meditations or performed them negligently and 
only for appearance's sake." Let the fall of others 
make us cautious; we also may sin mortally, and 
lose our vocation. 

O God! into what a precipice has my sloth in 



74 Solid Virtue, 

meditation thrown me ! But I adore the hand 
that brings me back. Henceforth "' I will medi- 
tate on Thee in the morning." (Psalm Ixii. 7.) It 
is my firm resolution. Let my prayer be directed 
as incense in Thy sight. (Psalm cxl. 2.) 



POINT II. 

The Advantages of Fervent Prayer. 

ist.' It banishes evils. Ignorance of heavenly 
things, erroneous maxims and foul thoughts are 
the great bane of the intellect; half-resolutions, 
sinful affections and depraved desires are the 
bane of the will. But meditation dispels those 
and represses these, since it imbues the mind 
with eternal truths, and fortifies the will by acts 
of virtue. Moreover, it expels tepidity, the per- 
nicious pest of the will, removes the danger of 
losing grace and religious vocation. In short, it 
banishes a whole host of evils. Oh! what a se- 
vere account will you not have-to give one day, 
for having out of mere indolence neglected so 
easy a means of freeing yourself from innumera- 
ble evils ! O meditation ! O powerful remedy 
against every malady of the soul! O how late 
have I learned to esteem thee ! But in the future 
thou shalt be my chief care, the delight of my soul. 

2d. Fervent meditation accumulates graces. It 
is by this heavenly chain that we draw to our- 
selves the gifts of God; b}^ it we are admitted to 



On Fervor in Prayer. 75 

the intimate familiarity of the Blessed Trinity, 
which is in some degree a heaven on earth, and 
a foretaste of the Heaven above — giving to the 
soul a peace that surpasses all understanding. 
Who can explain the light of the mind and the 
joy of heart with which a soul given to prayer 
is flooded! Ah! one little drop of this consola- 
tion infinitely exceeds all the satisfactions of the 
senses, for which, O hapless soul ! you neglect 
prayer. You acknowledge this, why not then 
reform ? 

3d. Prayer in various and wonderful ways per- 
fects the soul, fcr ist: it makes saints of those who 
are devoted to it. ^' By no other means," says 
St. Chrysostom, " do we make more progress in 
sanctity than by the practice of prayer." 2d. 
It unites the soul with the Divine Word; for by 
it, as William of Auvergne teaches, the human 
intellect becomes the true spouse of the Uncre- 
ated Truth. 3d. Those who are given to much 
prayer, as St. Bernard tells us, are the chamber- 
lains of Heaven, to whom is given the golden key 
to the Heart of God, and its treasures. 

4th. Such persons are, as St. Climacus says, like 
to angels; for that which is the employment of 
the angels in Heaven is their occupation on 
earth. Justly exclaims St. Augustine, "' What is 
more excellent than prayer ? What is more 
profitable to our life ? What is sweeter to the 
soul? What is more sublime in our whole reli- 
gion ?" 



*j(> Solid Virtue, 

And nevertheless — '^ Be astonished, O ye heav- 
ens" (Jer. ii. 12) — many have nothing at heart 
less than mental prayer; for nothing else have 
they less time than for meditation; there is no 
business so unimportant, no allurement so low, 
as not to make them omit, shorten or languidly 
perform this exercise. The illustrious Suarez 
preferred to lose all his knowledge rather than 
omit one of the seven hours which he every day 
spent in contemplation. And Ave, alas! trifle 
away the hour of meditation through mere lazi- 
ness, that we may indulge in sleep; and this we 
do, although we see 'clearl}^ the evil results of 
neglected prayer, and the advantages of fervent 
prayer; although we know that prayer is the 
mother of virtues, the support of discipline, the 
soul's protection and bulwark, the ruin of which 
is followed by danger to grace, vocation and sal- 
vation. 

O senseless, being that I am, to have been dis- 
gusted with the heavenly manna, to have hun- 
gered after the flesh-pots of Egypt ! who with 
injury to my health have devoted so many days 
and months to profane science, and who have 
not profitably spent one hour in order to acquire 
by meditation the science of the saints; and even 
of this short period I have sometimes robbed 
God that I might give it to study. To talk, 
to walk, to play, to sleep I had abundant time, 
but to think on eternity, on the soul, on God, 
I had none. To feed my body two or three 



On Fervor in Prayer. yj 

times every day I had plenty of time, but to re- 
fresh and strengthen my immortal soul for a 
short period by holy meditation, alas ! I had not 
a particle of time. Ah ! with what great reason 
may I not now justly fear, lest one day all grace 
may completely fail me. Henceforth, my way 
of acting shall be better. Accursed then be the 
action, buried in darkness be the science, changed 
into bitterness be the pleasure, for which after 
this I deprive myself of the light and consolation 
that are to be obtained by meditation. 

O Divine and ever-merciful Saviour ! who once 
didst drive out of the temple those who bought 
and sold therein, banish from my heart whatever 
may interfere with so necessar}^ an exercise. 
Expel the sleepy languor, the vain and im.pprtu- 
nate distractions of the mind; grant that in fu- 
ture my meditation may be worthy to be offered 
to Thy Divine Majesty, by the "four and twenty 
ancients" " in golden vials, full of odors which 
are the prayers of the saints." (Apoc. v. 8.) 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION. 

Resolve firmly to make every day a reverent, 
fervent and entire meditation. Reverent in re- 
gard to the posture of the body, fervent in re- 
gard to the efforts of the mind, and entire in 
regard to the duration of the prescribed time. 

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE HELPS TO PRAYER. 

ist. A frequent and attentive reading of the 
method of meditating well. 



78 Solid Virtue, 

2d. A diligent, proximate and remote prepara- 
tion of the mind for meditation. 

3d. A short review after the meditation, in which 
we seek out the faults committed, and consider 
the fruit to be reaped. 

4th. Always a prompt and cheerful rising in the 
morning, according to the admonition of Eccle- 
siasticus, ^^ At the time of rising be not slack.'* 
(Eccles. xxxii. 15.) ''And they that seek Him 
early shall find a blessing." (Eccles. xxxii. 18.) 



THIRD DAY. 



THIRD DAY. 

On the First Day \ve endeavored to remove the 
principal impediments to the attainment of solid 
virtue; on the Second we indicated the most ef- 
fectual means to acquire it. On this, the Third 
Day, we bring forward the motives which will 
induce us to strive to attain it, among which the 
following seem to be the most important: 

ist. The teachings of faith concerning the ex- 
cellence of solid virtue. 

2d. The hope of the benefits to be derived 
from its practice. 

3d. God's love requiring and claiming as a 
right this solidity. This last point is preceded 
by an examen on the sure signs of our love for 
God. This last day corresponds with what 
spiritual writers call the "Unitive Way.'* 



Concerning the Excellence of Solid Virtue, 8 1 



IHcbitation 1. 

What Faith Teaches Concern- 
ing THE Excellence of Solid 
Virtue. 



point I. 



The excellence of solid virtue is exceedingly 
great; this faith teaches. 

ist. A thing has necessarily just the value 
which God attributes to it, and whatever He 
prefers to all things else must doubtless be the 
most excellent. Therefore, " O earth, earth, 
earth, hear the word of the Lord" (Jer. xxii. 29); 
hear the judgment with w^hich the Almighty, 
the infinitely wise God, who cannot be deceived, 
passes on the excellence of solid virtue. Behold! 
thus saith the Lord through Solomon: ^' The 
purchasing thereof is better than the merchan- 
dise of silver; and her fruit than the chiefest and 
purest gold: she is more precious than all riches, 
and all the things that are desired are not to be 
compared with her." (Prov. iii. 14.) "All gold 
in comparison with her is as a little sand, and 
silver in respect to her shall be counted as clay.*' 
(Wisdom vii. 9.) " I esteemed riches nothing in 
comparison with her, neither did I compare unto 
her any precious stone." (Wisdom vii. 8.) This 
is what faith teaches. 



82 Solid Virtue, 

2d. It is to be preferred not only to the riches 
of the earth, but to the higher gifts of nature. 
For thus saith the Lord through Jeremias the 
Prophet: "Let not the wise man glory in his 
wisdom, and let not the strong man glory in his 
strength, but let him that glorieth glory in this, 
that he understandeth and knoweth Me." (Jer. 
ix. 23.) Consequently, the practical knowledge 
of God and of one's self, in which virtue consists, 
is to be preferred before all human prudence 
and statesmanship, the eloquence of the greatest 
orators of Greece and Rome, the bravery of 
heroes, the glory of kings, the vigorous health 
of the body, before kingdoms and thrones, be- 
fore the highest honors of the world, before 
sceptres and crowns. (Wisdom vii. 8.) This is 
what faith teaches. 

3d. Even the gift of prophecy, of tongues, of 
miracles, of the infused knowledge of all things, 
of the intuition of mysteries; all these gifts, 
w^hich, in the opinion of men, are the most pre- 
cious things in this life, are, in the judgm.ent of 
God, nothing when compared with the lowest 
degree of sanctifying grace; and yet this is only 
the commencement of solid virtue. Of this St. 
Paul assures us, w^riting thus to the Corinthians: 
** If I speak v/ith the tongues of men and of an- 
gels, and have not charit}^, I am become as a 
soundino; brass or a tinkling- cvmbal; and if I 
should know-all the mysteries and all knowledge, 
and if I should have all faith, so that I could re- 



Concerning the Excellence of Solid Virtue. 83 

move mountains, and have not charity, I am 
nothing; and if I should distribute all my goods 
to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body 
to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth 
me nothing." (i Cor. xiii. i.) This is what faith 
teaches. 

A proof of this is that Lucifer himself, with all 
his knowledge, strength, skill, and other natural 
endowments, is only a vile and wretched being, 
because he is without virtue and grace. God 
seems to have left these gifts to this haughty 
and reprobate spirit, on purpose to declare openly 
to the world how worthless they are in His sight 
when unaccompanied by sanctity. Moreover, 
these gifts are often bestowed profusely, even on 
the most corrupt sinners, in order to teach us, 
that without virtue all things are of no value in 
the sight of God. And, therefore, according to 
the judgment of Heaven, '^ An humble husband- 
man that serveth God is better than a proud 
philosopher, who, neglecting himself, considers 
the course of the Heavens." (Foil, of Christ, 
i. 2, I.) 



POINT n. 

Between this faith and our actions there is an 
immense discrepancy. Our mode of life proves 
this, as a few words will suffice to demonstrate. 
We believe that the obligation of acquiring solid 
virtue is the principal, the greatest, and only 



84 Solid Virtue, 

necessary one; and yet this is the very thing 
which is often entirely neglected. 

The science of the saints is the only treasure 
esteemed by Heaven; and yet we seek it with 
no greater eagerness than we do the knowledge 
of mathematics. Even one ray of Divine light 
which illumines the mind of an humble illiterate 
man is incomparably greater than the perfect 
comprehension of all books, greater even than 
all the natural science of the demons. We be- 
lieve this, and nevertheless we contemn the in- 
spirations of grace, and mourn the loss with as 
little regret as we would that of the meanest 
trifle. 

What folly ! For the attainment of profane 
knowledge, which, perchance, we shall never re- 
quire, we toil day and night, even with detri- 
ment to our health; in the pursuit of heavenly 
wisdom alone do we weary. Forgetful of eter- 
nity, we philosophize about time; we analyze 
material light, and leave the soul in darkness; 
we learnedly explain quantity and quality, but 
care little to inquire what we are before God. 
Oh, how great is our blindness ! Oh, if men 
would use as much diligence in rooting out 
vices and planting virtues as they do in propos- 
ing questions there would not be so great evils 
committed, nor scandals among the people, nor 
so much relaxation in monasteries. (Foil, of 
Christ, i. 3, 5.) But because they choose to be 
great rather than to be humble, therefore they 



Concerning the Excellence of Solid Virtue, 85 

are lost in their own imaginations. (Foil, of 
Christ, i. 3, 6.) 

And what, pray, when we are breathing our 
last, will all these sciences profit, which during 
the whole course of our life we have acquired to 
the prejudice of sanctity, with so much labor, so 
many watchings, and such anxiety ? 

What benefit will it be to us to have read so 
many books, taken so many* notes, and made so 
many extracts, unless it be to deplore all the 
more bitterly our folly for having wasted our 
strength and rest to obtain that which is not of 
the least advantage for procuring a happy eter- 
nity; and to have, on the other hand, foolishly 
neglected that alone which would have been our 
only consolation at the last hour? "Verily, 
when the day of judgment comes, we shall not 
be examined as to what we have read, but what 
we have done; nor how learnedly we have 
spoken, but how religiously we have lived." 
(Foil, of Christ, i. 3, 5.) 

Is it not madness to prepare so carefully what 
one shall say in answer to his opponent in a 
public disputation, and never to reflect what one 
shall answer to the Divine Judge '^ in the day 
of the wrath of the Lord "? (Lam. ii. 22.) O 
wretched soul ! if by the loss of one degree of 
virtue you could acquire the wisdom of Solo- 
mon, with his riches and kingly power, you 
would be exchanging the most precious gem for 
a glass bead. This you believe, and yet every 



86 Solid Virtue. 

day you neglect to acquire many such degrees, 
and expend all your energies on the perishable 
things of this life. 

O Lord ! to what are we come ? Behold, a 
temporal loss is greatly bewailed; for a small 
gain men labor and toil; but the loss of the soul 
is little thought of, and rarely ever strikes the 
mind. That which is of little or no profit takes 
up our thoughts, and that which is above all 
things necessary is negligently passed over, for 
the whole man sinks down into outward things, 
and unless he quickly recover himself he will- 
ingly continues immersed therein. (Foil, of 
Christ, iii. 44, 2.) 

For a scanty substance men run a great way, 
but to acquire perfection they will scarcely lift 
a foot from the ground. A petty gain is sought 
after; for a single coin men sometimes shame- 
^ fully quarrel; but alas ! for Solid Virtue^ for an 
unchangeable good, for an inestimable reward, 
for the highest honor and never-fading glory, 
they loathe to undergo even a slight fatigue. 
Blush then, thou slothful, querulous servant, 
that they are actually more ready to labor for 
death than thou for life. (Foil, of Christ, iii. 
3, 3 and 4.) Truly there is an immense difference 
between our faith and our life. What Hindoo 
would think this state of things possible among 
the faithful, much less among the religious ? 



Concerning the Excellence of Solid Virtue, 87 

AFFECTIONS. 

O God of truth ! I believe that the excellence 
of solid virtue is immense, and that it infinitely 
surpasses all the gifts of mind" and fortune. I 
believe that the least Divine illumination infi- 
nitely exceeds all profane science; that one sin- 
gle act of piety infinitely excels all natural gifts; 
that the smallest ray of grace is far more pre- 
cious than all the treasures of earth; that the 
lowest degree of glory is much greater than all 
the honors of the world. This, I say, I believe 
firmly, without the least doubt, because Thou, 
O Eternal Truth, hast vouchsafed to reveal it to 
us. ^' I believe, Lord; help Thou my unbelief." 
(St. Mark ix. 23.) 

Thou knowest, O Lord ! and the sad experi- 
ence of our daily faults tells us, how weak our 
faith is when occasions are offered for putting it 
in practice; for I must confess that I also am in 
the number of those whose tenor of life is con- 
tinually at variance with faith; who, it is true, 
believe that the excellence of solid virtue is in- 
finitely greater than all natural endowments, 
and yet practically value it very little. Oh, how 
great one day will be my astonishment when the 
Divine Judge with thundering voice shall pro- 
claim to me, ''Out of thy own mouth I judge 
thee, thou wicked servant !" (St. Luke xix. 22.) 
See, thus have you believed, and thus have you 
lived! 



88 Solid Virtue, 

Grant, O God! that we may at last profess by 
our lives the faith which our tongue speaketh. 
Allow not that the belief Ihave in the excellence 
of perfection be contradicted entirely by my life; 
for then my credence in and my knowledge of 
solid virtue would be my greater condemna- 
tion, and would m.ake me deserve a greater 
punishment in Hell, or, at least, in Purgatory. 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION. 

The fruit is a most efficacious resolve to put 
in practice this most important constitution of 
St. Ignatius, which says: ^^ Let all who have given 
themselves to the Society apply to the study of 
solid and perfect virtues and of spiritual things, 
and account these of greater moment than either 
learning or other natural or human gifts; for 
they are the interior things from which force 
must flow to the exterior, for the end proposed 
to us." (Summary of the Constitutions, i6.) 

The means to effect this are as follows: 

ist. Frequent acts of faith in these practical 
truths of our religion: I believe that solid virtue 
is of greater moment than learning or other 
natural gifts; I believe that the study of perfec- 
tion is of all affairs the greatest and the only 
necessary one; I believe that all is vanity but 
loving God and serving Him alone. 

2d. A firm resolution to fulfil every day the 
customary spiritual exeicises fervently, entirely 
and perseveringly; to hold as sacred the time 



Benefits Derived from Solid Virtue, 89 

set apart for them, and to complete carefully, 
and as soon as possible, whatever may have been 
wanting to their completeness. 



(Stonaikration. 



What Benefits we may hope to 
derive from solid virtue. 



POINT I 



Those only who zealously pursue the path of 
perfection lead a happy life. 

ist. They are happy on account of the heav- 
enly consolations with which they are filled. 
Oh! who can explain the tender and sweet affec- 
tions, the most pure joys of that soul which, inti- 
mately united to its Beloved by the bond of love, 
can exclaim v/ith the spouse in the Canticles, " I 
have found Him whom my soul loveth/* (Cant, 
iii. 4.) Ah! we should be a St. Philip Neri, a 
St. Teresa, a St. Stanislas, to understand these 
delights. How very great they are is proved by 
St. Anthony, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius, 
St. Francis Xavier, and innumerable others who 
at times were inundated by such a torrent of 
heavenly sweetness that they were unable to bear 
these delights any longer and asked God to 
moderate them. They confessed that they im- 



go Solid Virtue, 

mensely surpassed all the pleasures of the world 
and of sense, and that all the sufferings, labors 
and difficulties, undergone for years in the prac- 
tice of virtue, are compensated a hundred-fold 
by even one such drop of heavenly consolation. 

2d. They enjoy an ineffable, and, as it were, a 
heavenly peace, for in them the two sources of 
all trouble and perturbation, self-will and self- 
love, are dried up. 

Experience proves that this two-fold monster 
is the origin of all the interior rebellions of the 
soul; for what is it that raises in us such fre- 
quent and violent storms when anything occurs 
contrary to our wishes and inclinations, when 
something which we wish done is neglected, or 
when our honor is impugned or our bodily com- 
fort disturbed? But souls given to virtue hav- 
ing put off their own will breathe only the 
Divine will, as we breath the air. 

Since they have freely renounced all self-will, 
self-esteem and the pleasures of sense; since to 
desire nothing created is their only wish and en- 
deavor; since they have full control of them- 
selves and full mastery over all their desires, 
they are very far from this double source of all 
perturbation, and dwell securely, as it were, in 
the palace itself of peace and rest. Besides, as 
nothing in the world occurs without the will or 
permission of God; and as such souls will noth- 
ing else but what God wills; therefore, nothing 
ever happens to them but what they wish. And 



Benefits Derived from Solid Virtue. 9 1 

since they seek to be despised, and love crosses 
and afflictions, they are never troubled by con- 
tempt nor afflicted in adversity; therefore, can 
never lose their tranquillity of mind. Thus it 
happens, as St. Chrysostom said (Horn. 20 on 
Matt.), that, dwelling yet on earth, they live al- 
ready, as it were, in Heaven. 

3d. Lastly, they are, in a special manner, 
cherished, defended and governed by a singular 
Providence of God. The Almighty, with pecul- 
iar affection, watches over the interests of those 
who are constantly laboring with earnest en- 
deavor to acquire perfection; for if th'e Heavenly 
Father provides with such care even for the 
sparrows that, without His Divine will, not one 
of them shall fall on the ground (St. Matt. x. 
29), how much more will He protect, direct and 
foster you, O faithful souls, you, I say, whom He 
has loved with an everlasting love (Jer. xxxi. 
3,), whom He hath drawn and holds attached to 
Himself, " with the cords of Adam, with the 
bands of love" (Osee xl. 4), whom " He has 
graven in His hands." (Is. xlix. 16.) 

He carries you in His bosom ^' as the nurse is 
wont to carry the little infant." (Numbers xi. 12.) 
^' He keeps you as the apple of His eye." (Deut. 
xxxii. 10.) 

He removes from before 3'ou every stumbling- 
block, destroys the snares of temptation, and di- 
rects the various events of your lives with such 
infinite wisdom that all things co-operate in you 



92 Solid Virtue, 

for good, even your very falls. ^^ Know that to 
them that love God all things work together 
unto good." (Rom. viii. 28.) 

Hence it comes that, free from all cares, you 
breathe a heavenly atmosphere, you rest sweetly 
on the bosom of Providence, aad live in the em- 
braces of Divine Love, a life which gives you a 
foretaste of that which you hope to live in 
Heaven. O happy indeed is the state, on this 
earth, of those who are solidly virtuous! 

4th. We shall see better how happy the life 
of such persons must be, if we consider the 
heavenly gifts which are conferred on them. 
Their clear insight into the most hidden truths 
of our religion far surpasses that of the most 
subtle divines. 

The eight beatitudes, which are believed by 
others to be great calamities, are to them a real 
blessedness, which they seek with all their heart. 
They fly, as it were, along the path of perfection 
with angelic swiftness. In adversity, they stand 
invincible with a sort of heavenly impassibility. 
Trusting in God, they expect and hope for every- 
thing; confiding in His grace they fear naught, 
and are frightened by nothing but sin. 

They excel in the divine gift of prayer, in a 
wonderful recollection of mind, in an astonish- 
ing facility to comprehend all things appertain- 
ing to faith, and to the practice of virtue. The 
reason is this: they give themselves entirely to 
God, who likewise communicates Himself and 



Benefits Derived from Solid Virtue, 93 

His gifts to them. Hence it is that such souls, 
even in this world, lead a very blessed life. 

Indeed, O Lord! we are deprived of these 
graces because we are not entirely Thine. Thou 
withdrawest the things of Heaven, because we 
deny Thee those of earth. Thou art less liberal 
towards us, because we are too miserly towards 
Thee. " It is wonderful that thou wilt not, from 
the very bottom of thy heart, commit thyself to 
Me, with all things that thou canst desire or have." 
(Foil, of Christ, iii. 27, i.) 

*' Give all for all; seek nothing; call for nothing 
back; stand purely and with a clean conscience 
before Me, and thou shalt possess Me. Then all 
vain imaginations shall vanish, all evil distur- 
bances and superfluous cares. Then also im- 
moderate fear shall forsake thee, and inordinate 
love shall die." (Foil, of Christ, iii. 37, 5.) 

I am sorry to have acted with such base in- 
gratitude tow^ards Thee, O my God! I am full 
of confusion for having valued so little the ways 
of perfection. They seemed to me mean and 
contemptible; scarcely have I ever thought of 
them; but the hope of obtaining innumerable 
good by solid virtue, even in this life, will be 
henceforth a powerful motive for seeking to 
possess it. 



94 Solid Virt7ie, 

POINT II. 

Those only who are anxious for perfection die 
peacefully. 

ist. They die peacefully, because they rest, 
and shall ever rest, from their past labors. Such 
souls are filled with the greatest consolation by 
the very remembrance of the adversities they 
have gone through, of the temptations they have 
overcome, of the dangers they have escaped. 
Their whole life seems but a moment. They 
joyously exclaim: *'A11 is past! past are the in- 
juries, contempt and calumnies that we have 
suffered; past are the mortifications of the flesh, 
the restraining of the senses, the pains of sick- 
ness, and all other troubles. Past would be 
likewise the honors, allurements and comforts 
of life, if we had desired and eagerly sought 
after them. Of all our lives, nothing would re- 
main but a bitter sting of conscience; whilst, 
on the contrary, we are now filled with joy that 
w^e have devoted them w^hoUy to the acquire- 
ment of solid virtue; that we have not done 
the evil w^hich w'e could have done, but the 
good which we were obliged to do. Oh, how 
great a consolation is it for us now, to have paid 
little attention to injuries, to have been silent 
under contempt, patiently to have borne perse- 
cution, to have labored much for the salvation 
of our neighbor, to have undergone many hard- 
ships for God! 



Benefits Derived from Solid Virtue, 95 

^^O blessed Troubles, contempt, miseries and 
sufferings! O generous silence in adversities I 
ye opened Heaven to us, and were to us the 
means of greater glory! Oh, how wisely did we 
act in preventing by a holy life the fears which 
a life of tepidity would have caused us now in 
our last hour! Oh, how happy are we that we 
have avoided the anguish and grief we should 
suffer, had we not followed the grace that was 
offered to us! Ah! we could also have given our 
consent to that temptation; yes, we were not 
very far from a fall, but we resisted. 

*'Alas! had we indulged longer in tepidity, 
what should we have come to? But with the 
grace of God we shook it off, we have worked 
out our salvation, we have suffered extreme heat 
and cold in the vineyard of the Lord; we expect, 
therefore, with full confidence, the promised 
penny from the Heavenly Father." 

These are the death-bed sentiments of the 
just, who have always been devoted to virtue. 
Who, then, shall deny, that the passage of a 
pious soul from this life is very placid ? 

2d. They die peacefully on account of the 
sweet consolation which flows then into their 
hearts from the three following sources: 

First. From the testimony of a good conscience, 
which assures them that they are in the state of 
grace; that they are the children of God, and 
heirs of the kingdom of Heaven; that they 
have fulfilled the conditions to which the just 



96 Solid Virtue. 

Judge has annexed a never-fading crown of 
glory. 

Second. From the 'soul's detachment from all 
inordinate love for created things. ^' Oh! what 
great confidence shall they have at the moment 
of death, who are not detained by an affection 
for anything in the world!" (Foil, of Christ, iii. 
53, 2.) 

For what could trouble such virtuous souls ? 
Riches and honors which are to be left to others? 
These they have always- despised. Perhaps the 
allurements of the senses which are now to be 
given up ? Against these they have long ago 
steeled their hearts. Perhaps the body which is 
to be reduced into dust ? This they have always 
treated as an enemy. 

Lastly. The mere sight of the crucifix is to 
such religious a well-spring of joy, an anchor of 
trustful hope, and a pledge of eternal bliss. 
Holy Viaticum is for them an anticipated 
heaven, as they receive Him whom they desire 
to enjoy forever; and since they have provided 
themselves in time with the oil of charity, they 
fear not to be excluded by the Heavenly Bride- 
groom, but hope with confidence to be admitted 
to the celestial nuptials; and this confidence no 
temptation can disturb, no grief weaken, no hor- 
ror of approaching death diminish. 

Father Francis Suarez exclaimed on his death- 
bed, '* I never thought it was so sweet to die.** 

Third. They die peacefully on account of their 



Benefits Derived from Solid Virtue. 97 

security from future evils, whilst the fear of 
death, judgment and Purgatory is the cause of 
great anxiety to the tepid. Death puts an end 
to sin and suffering, and to all the miseries and 
imperfections of this life; it is the gate by which 
we enter Heaven, where, by a happy necessity, 
we must perpetually love God. Therefore, . 
such religious fear not, but rather desire death. 
And as their conscience tells them that they have 
laid bare their sins by a sincere, clear and entire 
confession, they present themselves without the 
least fear before God's tribunal, of whom Holy 
Writ says, *^ His tender mercies are over all His 
works." (Ps. cxliv. 9.) Neither do they fear too 
much the penalty, which, perhaps, they may 
have to undergo in the flames of Purgatory, 
since they have wisely paid most, if not all of it, 
beforehand. 

Consequently, it is very true that only souls 
that give themselves up to solid virtue live a 
happy life, and die a tranquil death. You are, 
therefore, guilty of very great folly if through 
sloth 3^ou suffer the loss of these excellent bless- 
ings; if you allow 3^ourself to be deprived of a 
happy life and a tranquil death, for fading 
pleasures, for empty honors, which vanish like 
smoke in the air; for a little honey, which, when 
tasted, bringeth death; for a trifle which you 
refuse to sacrifice to God ! Up then and act, if 
you are w4se, and do that now which one day 
you shall wish to have done; and as you are 



98 Solid Virtue, 

afraid to die with the tepid, live with the fer- 
vent, for death is the echo of life; if you desire 
to die in the Lord, live only in the Lord, and 
while in health give up to God everything 
which may fill 3^our heart with fear and anxiety 
at the last hour. 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION. 

The fruit shall be the carrying out of this res- 
olution, ^' I wish to become a saint, a great 
saint," and in order to do so, I must begin by 
some heroic act to live a holier life. The means 
to effect this are: 

ist. To find out the obstacle which principally 
retards my progress in the path of perfection. 

2d. To extirpate the vice which reigns most 
powerfully in my soul. 

3d. To sacrifice to God that which most effec- 
tually withdraws and sepa.rates me from Him. 

SELF-EXAMINATION. 

The Signs of Divine Love. 

Charity, the queen of virtues, is the bond of 
perfection (Col. iii. 14), the fulfilling of the 
law (Rom. xiii. 10), and the most perfect justice. 
St. Augustine said, *^ Charity transcends by its 
eminent dignity faith and hope." '' There remain 
faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greater 
of these is charity." (i Cor. xiii. 13.) Accord- 
ing to St. Bernard, ^* Charity is the measure of 
all the excellence of a soul;" hence it is that the 



Benefits Derived from Solid Virtue. 99 

infernal enemy labors with all his might and 
craft to counterfeit this heavenly gem, by offer- 
ing us self-love in place of divine love. Lest, 
then, you also should be deluded, I will set forth 
the signs of divine love; in order that, being im- 
bued with the knowledge of what is genuine, 
you may the more easily distinguish and sepa- 
rate the precious from the vile. (Jer. xv. 19.) 

The first sign of a generous love is the breaking 
asunder of the chains by which we are fastened 
with inordinate affection to some created object. 
Such an excellent victory gained over one's self, 
such an heroic act performed for God, is without 
doubt a sign of divine love. Arise, therefore, to 
generous deeds, and after having courageously 
assumed the mind of Abraham, while on the 
point of immolating his son Isaac, and already 
brandishing as it were the sword of the Spirit for 
the blow, ask yourself, and carefully examine, 
for instance, what person, place, office, trifle, 
comfort, honor, pleasure, sensible gratification, 
your mind clings to with greatest affection, and 
God more pressingly asks you to giv^ up. 
Search your heart, and see which of these things 
God requires of you. As soon as you detect it, 
at once, armed w^ith holy zeal, and animated with 
a hatred for yourself, drag it forth from its hid- 
ing-place, and lay it on the altar of the Cross, 
and there let love be the priest that will immo- 
late this victim. Such a sacrifice is an evident 
sign of a genuine love for God. 



lOO Solid Virtue, 

Another sign of a generous love is the doing 
and suffering of great things for the beloved, as 
to work for God means both to act and to suffer. 
St. Bernard says: *' You then love God truly, if 
for His love you do all the good you can; for 
love, if it is truly love, works great things, and 
if it does not work them, it is not love." 

Inquire, therefore, how faithfully you listen to 
the divine inspirations which urge you to do or 
to omit this or that; with what ardor you seize 
the opportunities of doing some good, either to 
increase the glory of God, or to promote the 
salvation of souls. 

Lastly, see what heroic act God asks of you 
by repeated whisperings to perform. 

To be deaf under such circumstances would 
show a great coldness of heart and a very great 
want of love. 

The third sign of pure love is the conformity 
of our will to the divine will, for, as St. Gregory 
says, " They love their Maker perfectly who 
leave self completely aside," but they who retain 
the principal faculty of the soul, the will, keep 
themselves wholly to themselves. They conse- 
quently do not love God perfectly, for it is im- 
possible for persons to love each other, and be 
united, and, at the same time, differ in their wills. 
From this it is clear that, without the conformity 
of our will to the divine will, there cannot exist 
a genuine charity, and therefore such conformity 
is a sure sign of true love. 



Benefits Derived from Solid Virtue, loi 

Summon this principal part of yourself before 
the tribunal of your conscience, and examine in 
what it particularly differs from the divine v/ill ; 
what God desires you to do, and what you dis- 
like to do ; what trifle, or what affection to created 
things, He wishes that you should sacrifice, and 
which you niggardly refuse ; whether you accept 
adversity with the same tranquillity of mind as 
Job and Heli ; whether, when any trouble or 
calamity afflicts you, you make use of these words 
of theirs, as of a ready and secure buckler : '^ The 
Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away ; as it 
has pleased the Lord, it is done ; blessed be the 
name of the Lord." (Job i. 21.) ''It is the Lord, 
let Him do what is good in His sight." (i Kings 
iii. 18.) 

Moreover, examine whether you are reall}^ like 
a corpse or an old man's staff, so that you allow 
yourself with the same facility to be taken up 
or laid aside, to be stripped or clad. Have you 
the same indifference towards honors or con- 
tempt, towards comfort or hardships as a statue ? 
Does this indifference extend to every place and 
employment ? Liasmuch as you are deficient 
in this, so far are you distant from the perfection 
of love. 

O Lord Jesus ! who didst come to send fire on 
the earth, and who wiliest naught else but that 
it be kindled (Luke xii. 49), kindle in me, I 
beseech Thee, the fire of divine charity, which 
never says '' It is enough," but, always rising on 



I02 Solid Virtue, 

high, strives to ascend higher still. Grant that 
my soul, inflamed by it, may rise to generous 
deeds, and by these signs prove that it possesses 
true love. 



ittcbitation 2. 



God's Love for us deserves that 
w^e should give ourselves to 
Solid Virtue. 



POINT I. 



We must consecrate ourselves wholly to solid 
virtue, because God gives to us Himself and 
all His in the most perfect manner. He gives 
material things for our use and benefit, the 
guardian angels for our protectors, grace for our 
merit, and Heaven for our reward. 

Since the earth, the angels, grace and Heaven, 
among created things, constitute the four prin- 
cipal ones, by the creacion of which the Almighty 
made known to the world His omnipotent munifi- 
cence, it follows that by giving these to us. He 
generously giv^es us all He has. Moreover, He 
that spared not even His own Son, but delivered 
Him up for us all, how^ hath He not also with 
Him given us all things? (Rom. viii. ^y'^?) Be- 
sides, the most merciful Lord has with the great- 
est liberality given to us not only His goods, but 



God's Love for its. 103 

Himself wholly ; for He in a wonderful manner 
employs for us His infinite perfections, which are 
identically the same as His being. 

And, first, He gives us His being, by dwelling 
always intimately present in our body and soul, 
as in a temple consecrated to Him. 

He gives us His power, not only by creating 
and preserving us, but also by continually con- 
curring in all our actions. He gives us, more- 
over. His Providence, not only with singular af- 
fection w^arding off evils wuth which we .are 
threatened and providing us with blessings, but 
making also '' with temptation issue." (i Cor. x. 
13.) He gives us also His Mercy, by overlook- 
ing so often and so long the sins of men for the 
sake of repentance. (Wisdom xi. 24.) Lastly, 
He gives us His infinite Charity, by heaping every 
moment upon us, who are so unworthy, in pref- 
erence to many others, innumerable and quite 
singular graces. Who, then, can deny that the 
Great God gives Himself wholly to us, since He 
communicates His attributes to us so generously 
and employs them continually in our behalf? 
Certainh^ this shows abundantly that God gives 
all His goods and Himself wholly to us, and He 
is therefore most worthy to receive the entire 
consecration of ourselves to Him by solid virtue. 

This w411 appear also w^hen we reflect on the 
manner in which He gives His goods and Him- 
self entirely ; a manner which has three ennob- 
ling characteristics. The first is, that this benefi- 



I04 Solid Virtue. 

cent affection towards us is eternal, according to 
Holy Writ. ^' I have loved thee with an everlast- 
ing love." (Jer. xxxi. 3.) The second is that 
this beneficence is entirely gratuitous ; for the 
Prophet says, *' I will love them freely." (Osee 
xiv. 5.) He loved us spontaneously, ^' even when 
we were enemies." (Rom. v. 10.) The third 
quality of this munificent love consists in its 
being infinite, so that there is not one perfection 
in the Godhead, not one Person in the Blessed 
Trinity, which does not embrace us with the same 
infinite love. Since God gives us, with stupendous 
liberality, not only His goods but Himself also, 
and in a manner so perfect, is it not just that we 
should live for Him wholly who washed to be 
wholly given up to us ? 

Truly, O Lord ! I acknowledge this to be very 
just. Therefore because all Thou hast is mine, 
all I have should likewise be Thine. Henceforth 
let the love of God, who gives all He has to me 
and Himself in so generous a manner, be to me 
a powerful motive to acquire solid virtue. 



POINT II. 

We should especially consecrate ourselves to 
God because Christ also gave Himself wholly 
to us on the cross and in the Blessed Eucharist. 

For, on the cross. He gave us, first, His vest- 
ments, since this heavenly Jonathan stripped 
Himself of the coat with which He was clothed. 



God s Love J or us. 1 05 

(i Kings xviii. 4.) Secondly, His honor, since 
he chose death — a death which slaves only had 
to undergo. Thirdly, His body, since He gave 
it to be tortured with the greatest pains and suf- 
ferings for our sins. Fourthly, His soul, since 
He, by such a cruel death, delivered it up for 
enemies and rebels. ''Greater love than this no 
man hath, that he lay down his life for his 
friends." (John xv. 13.) 

And in the Blessed Eucharist, where He poured 
out, as it were, the riches of His divine love for 
man (Coun. of Trent, 13 Sess., 2d Chap.), He gives 
not only His coat, woven by human hands, but 
His very humanity, united to the Divine Word, 
He not only sacrifices the honor of the Son of 
Man, but also exposes the dignity of the God- 
Man, while He hides His Majesty under the lowly 
species of bread and wine, and publicly lays Him- 
self open to so many injuries. He gives up to us 
therein not a body liable to suffer and to die, but 
one that is impassible, immortal, glorified. Fi 
nally, by making Himself a victim in this blessed 
Sacrament, He so completely sacrifices for us 
Himself by multitudinous immolations, that 
while there is nothing in Him which He has not 
wholly and fully made over to us, there could 
not have been found, even by angelic intellect, 
a more perfect manner of communicating Him- 
self to us. The omnipotent and omniscient 
God, therefore, could not give us anything 
greater or better. " What better," exclaims St. 



io6 Solid Virtue, 

Bernard, "could He Himself give than Him- 
self?" In short, nothing is in Christ which is 
not ours. His body is ours, for it was wounded 
for us; His blood is ours, for it was poured out 
for us; His life is ours, for it was sacrificed for 
us on the cross; His merits are ours, for they 
were, by His death, given to us as a legacy. 

Since our Saviour so ardenth^ desired in us 
solidity of virtue, and since He deserves it from 
us for so many reasons, we shall yield, at last, 
and resolve what we are to do in future. 



POINT III. 

B}^ giving even all to Him we give Him little. 
It is little: 

ist. If we consider the vileness of him who 
gives. 

2d. If we contemplate the majesty of Him to 
whom it is given, for He stands in need of 
nothing. 

3d. If we contrast what w^e give with the 
greatness of the benefits already bestowed on us 
by Heaven, and if we compare it with the num- 
ber and grievousness of the sins which we have 
committed. 

4th. If we place it side by side with what sec- 
ulars do for the world, with what the saints did 
for God, and with what an eternal reward de- 
serves. 



God' s Love for its. 107 

Justly, then, we must with deep sighs confess 
that by giving ourselves wholly to God we give 
Him little, yea, nothing. But if by giving the 
whole we give nothing, and if by doing all we 
do nothing, according to the words of our Lord, 
*' When you shall have done all the things that 
are commanded you, say that we are unprofit- 
able servants; we have done that which we 
ought to do." (St. Luke xvii. 10.) What will 
it be to refuse this little, or rather this nothing, 
to the great God ? 

Since we cannot do much, let us at least do 
the little w^e can; as we have nothing precious, 
let us give the trifle we possess; but let us give 
this little entirely, by devoting ourselves wholly 
to solid virtue. 

AFFECTIONS. 

O great God! jealous of our heart (Exod. 
XX. 5), who dost never accept the half if it is 
not given entirely, ah, what shall I give in re- 
turn for Thee, if it be not myself? And as Thou 
hast given Thyself wholly, what can I give Thee 
less than myself? I am resolved, therefore, O ye 
citizens of Heaven be my witnesses, to be en- 
tirely Thine. Thou alone shalt be the Master of 
my heart. The world and self-love have no 
right over it. Let this besetting affection which 
holds me enslaved be banished from it. Let 
this inordinate desire that has hitherto misera- 
bly captivated me be destroyed. Let the flesh 



io8 Solid Virtue, 

rebel, and Hell gnash its teeth and rise against 
me. Let my traitorous senses murmur. The 
die is cast. God alone shall reign in my soul. 
Christ alone shall live in me. Divine Love shall 
triumph! For "as iron cast in the fire loses its 
rust and becomes all bright with burning, so the 
man that turneth himself wholly to God is di- 
vested of all sloth and changed into a new man." 
(Foil, of Christ, ii. 4, 2.) May the love of God, 
who deserves to find in me solid virtue, remove 
all obstacles, break through all difficulties, and 
render even and smooth that w^hich seems rough 
and hard. Henceforth the acquirement of per- 
fection shall be my greatest and only occupa- 
tion. O Lord, all that I possess is a mere noth- 
ing, and shall I hesitate to consecrate to Thee 
this nothing ? Had I a thousand hearts they 
would not be sufficient to love Thee worthily. 
I have only one, and it is so small should I dare 
to divide it? Far from me be such ingratitude. 
Thou hast conquered, O most loving Jesus! 
Thou hast conquered; I surrender. To Thee 
alone my heart belongs. No room in it hence- 
forth for sin, no place for sloth, or for my pre- 
dominant passion. Self-love shall be banished 
from it forever. No affection or desire shall be 
there which shall not be directed towards Thee 
alone. Henceforth my watchword shall be, 
God deserves that I become a saint; this will be 
a powerful spur to make me proceed daily with 
gigantic strides in the w^ay of virtue. I most 



God's Love for us. 109 

humbly beseech Thee, therefore, by Thy infinite 
goodness and mercy, that thou wilt vouchsafe to 
accept, in an odor of sweetness, this holocaust 
of my heart, and this my firm resolve of acquir- 
ing virtue; and as Thou hast already given me 
grace to desire and offer it^ so Thou wilt also be- 
stow on me plentiful grace to fulfil it. 

PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS. 

The fruit to be drawn from these exercises is 
an efficacious resolve of the heart to advance with 
the greatest fervor in the way of the perfection 
which our state requires. The means to accom- 
plish this are: 

ist. To observe the resolutions that have been 
made during this Triduum. 

2d. To commence the amendment of our life 
by some heroic act. 

3d. To make monthly a short recollection. 

4th. To accustom ourselves to make throughout 
the day acts of the love of God. 

5th. To worship our Lord constantly and fer- 
vently in the Blessed Eucharist, by visiting Him 
frequently and always receiving Him with great 
faith and devotion. 

I conclude the present holy retreat with the 
words of St. Cyprian: '' I exhort you b}^ our com- 
mon faith that you guard 5'Our glory by strong 
and persevering virtue. For the property of 
virtue is not only to have begun but also to have 
continued to the end." This St. Augustine con- 



no Solid Virtue. 

firms, by saying " it is not great to have com- 
menced what is good, but to have completed 
it, this alone is perfect." For what profit would 
it be to have removed the obstacles to solid 
virtue, to have considered the means by which 
solid virtue is acquired, to have earnestly re- 
flected on the motives which should incite us 
to give ourselves entirely to God, and to have 
even laid the first foundations of a holier life, 
unless the edifice of perfection be raised and fin- 
ished by assiduous labor and continued endeavor ? 
St. Jerome said: '* In Christians what we inquire 
into is not their beginnings, but their end and 
their perseverance." " Perseverance alon©," re- 
marks Peter of Blois, "will be crowned." 

PRAYER OF ST. AUGUSTINE. 

{^Second Book of Soliloquies,') 

I seek Thee alone, I am ready to serve Thee 
alone, because Thou alone rulest justly. I de- 
sire to be subject to Thee. Heal and open my 
ears, that with them I may hear Thy words. 
Heal and open my e3^es, that with them I may 
see the intimation of Thy will. Remove folly 
from me that I miay recognize Thee. Tell me 
where I may expect and see Thee, and I hope I 
will do all Thou wilt order me. Receive, I beg 
of Thee, O Lord, most clement Father, Thy fu- 
gitive servant. I have already suffered punish- 
ment enough. I have served long enough Thine 



God's Love for tis. Ill 

enemies, whom Thou hast under Thy feet. I 
have been long enough the sport and plaything 
of illusion. Receive me as Thy servant fleeing 
from these, because they, when I w^as fleeing 
from Thee, received me though a stranger. I 
feel that I must return to Thee. Let Thy door 
be opened to me when I knock. Teach me how 
I may reach Thee! I have nothing else save my 
will. I know nothing else save that w^hich is 
transitory and perishable should be despised, and 
that stable and eternal things should be sought 
after. This alone I do, O Father! because this 
alone I know; but by what means I may reach 
Thee I know not. Do Thou suggest them to 
me. Do Thou show them to me. Do Thou help 
me to find them. If those who have recourse to 
Thee find Thee b}^ faith, grant me faith; if by 
virtue, grant me virtue; if by science, grant me 
science. Increase faith within me, increase hope, 
increase charitv. 



CONFERENCES. 



CONFERENCES. 

To be tcsed as Spwittial Reading during 
the Retreat, 

I. 

Holy Indifference. 

The foundation of the spiritual life is holy in- 
difference. Could even the greatest trials de- 
prive us of it, then the groundwork being shaken 
the superstructure must necessarily fall. But 
this holy indifference being contrary to the in- 
clinations of our corrupt nature, all our self-love 
rises in revolt against it. We will therefore ad- 
vance some reasons why we should be induced 
to labor seriously to acquire this all-important 
virtue. 

1. 

The great difficulty we experience in the prac- 
tice of this virtue is to be found in the fear we 
have of the labors, contempts, vexations and 
troubles of ill health, which seem to await us in 
such and such a place, office, or degree of virtue. 
Remove this fear and indifference is easily ac- 
quired. 

And first of all, cannot God punish you with 



Ii6 Solid Virtue, 

sickness in the very place and office in which 
you would prefer to be, or preserve you in good 
health in the place or office you are trying to 
av^oid ? Now, then, as there is reason for fearing 
the punishment of God on account of your op- 
position to His will, so there is every motive for 
hoping that He will reward your indifference, by 
preserving your health in the station to which 
He calls you. Besides, if God your Creator, the 
Arbiter of life and death, should be pleased to 
afflict 3^ou with sickness, who are you, vile worm 
of the earth, that you should fretfully resist, in- 
stead of readily conforming to His will? Is it 
not better to suffer in obedience to the will of 
God, than against it to enjoy vigor and strength ? 
Thus we put to flight the pretext of sickness, 
which is but the prompting of self-love. You 
are not forbidden, however, to inform your su- 
perior of any fear of sickness which a proper 
reason justifies, provided 3'ou are ready to com- 
ply with w^hat he may command, after having 
heard your case. 

2d. Moreover can not the labors, hardships, vex- 
ations and troubles which cause you to have such 
an aversion to this office or place, be abundant- 
ly compensated by a higher gift of pra3^er, by 
heavenly delights, by success in the management 
of all your affairs, by peace of mind, by purity 
of heart, by exemption from greater annoyances 
and anxieties, and by freedom from various diffi- 
culties, v/ith which in another place you might 



Holy Indifference. 1 1 7 

have to contend ? Again, cannot God send you 
in that very place, in the very office which you 
eagerly seek, adversities far more numerous and 
greater than those you fear in another place and 
office ? Should you not have this fear ? Are we 
not then our own enemies, since we rush blindly 
into greater evils, the more we endeavor to avoid 
smaller ones ? If we be wise, let us be indiffer- 
ent to everything, abandoning ourselves entirely 
to the guidance of Divine Providence. 

3d. The same may be said of the contempt 
which we might have to encounter in this or that 
place or employment, or in such a degree of vir- 
tue. For if we patiently endure this contempt, 
we may be amply rewarded v/ith a special assist- 
ance of divine grace, strong health, and immu- 
nity from harassing cares. How many there 
are who, on the contrary, find nothing but con- 
tempt and trouble Vv^here they expected honor 
and ease ! How many who are placed above 
others are regarded with ill-will and are disliked 
by almost everybod}^ while these same persons, 
had they been left on a level with others, would 
have been acceptable to all. 

Such men, by a just judgment of God, fall from 
one misfortune into another. Thus i\raan, ele- 
vated to the very highest dignity, suffered death 
on the gallovv'S Oh! how much happier vrould 
he not have been had he, satisfied with a lower 
rank, remained away from the court. Lot, in 
order to avojd the quarrels of the herdsmen, 



Ii8 Solid Virtue. 

departed from Abraham, and chose the fertile re- 
gions of Sodom. Who could not but congratulate 
him on the apparent wisdom of his choice; but 
how badly it turned out we read in the book of 
Genesis (xix. 24). After much opposition, and 
after having gone throuf>;h many crooked ways 
and various difficulties, very often one has to 
yield at last, and must of necessity do that 
which before he refused to do. 

The decree of God's Providence is like an una- 
voidable sea, over which, in spite of your delays, 
you must inevitably pass before reaching your 
destination. Let us give an instance from 
Holy Writ. "Jonas was commanded to go to 
Ninive, the great cit}^, and to preach in it." 
(Jonas i. 2.) But fearing to be called a false 
prophet, in case God spared the repenting 
Ninivites, he disliked the mission. "And he 
rose up to flee into Tharsis from the Lord.'* 
What did his resisting the will of God avail 
him? "Jonas, who w^as afraid to enter the safe 
harbor, was cast into the sea;" he who was 
afraid of men " was swallowed up by a fish;" he 
who would not preach in the city was hidden 
away in the belly of a v^hale; and that which 
would have given him very little trouble if done 
willingly in the beginning, he was compelled 
finally to go through, notwithstanding the oppo- 
sition he made, and the sufferings he endured. 
At last, when the word of the Lord came to 
him a second time, he arose and went to Ninive. 



Holy Indifference. 119 

With less merit and with less joy he at last did 
what he should have done in the beginning. 
Hence it is evident, the principal obstacle to 
holy indifference is a vain fear of something 
which, when seen from afar, terrifies us, but upon 
a nearer inspection vanishes like a vapor into the 
air. 

II. 

After having overcome the principal impedi- 
ment, let us consider a very powerful incentive 
to holy indifierence, namely, the sovereign happi- 
ness in this life of the religious who possesses this 
virtue. Those who endeavor to acquire this holy 
indifference seek no preferment, and refuse noth- 
ing out of cowardice; for these two things, the' 
desire of acquiring what we have not, and the 
fear of losing what we have, are the causes of all 
the troubles of this earth. These persons rule 
over the greatest empire of the world, since to 
feel no want is to reign; they are truly strong 
and mighty because they are conquerors of 
themselves; they are superior to the superiors 
themselves, because they are indifferent to every- 
thing, and seek the favor of no one. They over- 
flow with internal consolation, since they are 
certain that they are in the place and office in 
which God wishes them to be. For this reason, 
whenever any difficulty or calamity occurs, sure 
of the assistance of God, they have recourse to 
Him in all confidence; they rest tranquilly on 
the bosom of Divine Providence, remembering 



I20 Solid Vtrt7te, 

the word of the royal prophet, ** The Lord ruleth 
me and I shall want nothing." (Psalm xxii. i.) 
They lead on earth a life altogether heavenly, for 
as the angels w^ho stand before the throne of 
God are always ready to execute His word, 
hearkening to the voice of His orders (Psalm 
cii. 20), and equally ready to guard the poor or 
the rich, the peasant or the king, equally indif- 
ferent to offer up the prayers of the saints, or to 
pour out upon the earth the seven vials of the 
wrath of God, so also the religious who possess 
holy indifference regard the decrees of God's 
Providence and His good pleasure with love and 
submission, for the will of God is the only rule 
of all their actions. Now you can judge of the 
grandeur and happiness of such generous souls. 
On the contrary, they who possess not this vir- 
tue are like the angry billows of the sea, tossed 
about by the continual agitation of cares and 
anxieties. They are obliged to flatter others 
with servile obsequiousness that they tnay ad- 
vance, or, at least, not hinder their ambitious de- 
signs. And when some sharp trial occurs, they 
dare not have recourse to God, for their con- 
science tells them that they have merited this 
affliction, since by importunities they obtained 
from their superiors this ofhce and this place, 
the cause of all these troubles. Having strayed 
from the wa3^s of God's Providence, they wander 
about anxious and uncertain, always in pain, like 
one whose limbs are out of joint. They are not 



Holy Indifference, 12 1 

at all content in the place for which they had 
such a preference, and in the employment which 
they desired particularly; for God, to punish 
those slaves to their own will, sends them bitter- 
ness and troubles. And you who read this, have 
you not experienced it yourself? And yet, it did 
not avail you. O senseless religious! do you not 
fear lest God may allow you to be tempted 
more violently, and even to fall into mortal sin, 
in the place which you desire so much, while, in 
another place, He would have preserved you 
from such a calamity ? Are you not afraid that 
God may withdraw the graces which He would 
have given you elsewhere in another employ- 
ment ? And are you sure of corresponding faith- 
fully to the graces necessary for the position you 
are so anxious to fill ? Tell me, what consola- 
tion will it be to you at the hour of death to 
have always obtained what you desired, to have 
always acted according to the dictates of your 
own fancy? O miserable being! what will it 
profit you, then, to have followed your own rather 
than the Divine Will ? What reward can you 
expect from your labors, v/hich not Heaven but 
self-love imposed? We must, therefore, gener- 
ously resolve to serve God in whatever station 
of life, degree of perfection, office, place, or state 
of health He wills us to be, and to act or to suffer 
in perfect resignation to His Divine Majesty. 



122 Solid Virfyp, 



III. 

That this resolve may take firm root, be con- 
vinced that all that happens, sin excepted, is or- 
dained by God; that whatsoever occurs on this 
earth occurs not by mere chance, but by the will 
of an infinitely provident and loving Father, who, 
with unbounded wisdom, justice, prudence and 
forbearance, '^ ordereth all things sweetly." (Wis. 
viii. I.) Be persuaded, therefore, that this place 
or this occupation is assigned to you by God 
through your superiors; that this sickness, this 
adversity, is sent to you by His paternal hand. 
It is He who wills that you live in this part of 
the world; that you be employed in these func- 
tions; that you strive towards this particular de- 
gree of perfection; that you suffer these pains in 
your body, these afflictions in your mind. You 
will say, " Not at all; it is not the will of God 
that has placed me here, but the scheming of 
jealous individuals, the ill-will of superiors. In 
envy, bitterness and hatred lies the source of the 
evil." Judging rashly you may imagine this with 
greater temerit}^ than truth. Without any foun- 
dation the mind sometimes concludes that what 
has been suspected is a reality. But let us sup-, 
pose you are right, and that what you suffer 
proceeds from the wicked inclinations of men. 
What then ? I freely grant that they err, and 
that their action is condemned by God, who 
threatens to punish them severely on account of 



Holy Lidiffcrence, 123 

it; but at the same time I maintain that the Sov- 
ereign Ruler of the world, although He wills not 
sin, wills its effects. Consequently this place, 
this office, this sickness and this trial, not being 
matter of sin, are the objects of the Divine will, 
though the depraved will of others may be the 
cause of them. Thus, though " the Lord God of 
Hosts" disapproved of Joseph being sold and 
led into Egypt, yet He sanctioned his stay and 
his service in that country. ''God sent me," he 
himself confesses, '' before you into Egypt for 
your preservation." (Gen. xlv. 5.) It was not the 
envy of his brothers, but the Providence of God 
that had sent him into Egypt. So also, though 
all the calamities which afflicted Job were caused 
by the malice of Satan, yet they were the objects 
of the eternal decree of God. ''The Lord gave, 
and the Lord hath taken away," Job himself 
says. " As it hath pleased the Lord, so it is 
done." (Job i. 21.) Remark, he said not Satan 
hath taken away, but " the Lord." Though the 
Heavenly Father condemned the malice and 
hatred of the Jews, He decreed, nevertheless, the 
death of His only begotten Son; for Christ said 
to St. Peter, " The chalice which My Father hath 
given Me shall I not drink it ?" (St. John xviii. 11.) 
Mark, " The chalice given Me," not by the Jews, but 
''by My Father." For the same reason, although 
the sanctity of God condemns the ill-will of your 
companions, the imprudence of your superiors, 
the envy of the jealous, yet He wills this your 



124 Solid Virttte. 

stalion, this your misfortune, this your oppres- 
sion. O religious! it is not the envy of fellow- 
religious, but the Providence of God that has led 
you into Egypt; it is not Satan who has sent those 
evils, but the Lord; it is not the malice of the Jews, 
but the Heavenly Father that mixed this chalice. 
It is God, I repeat again, who wills that you 
stay in this place; that you perform this work; 
that you suffer these pains; that you remain in 
so obscure a position; that you be afflicted with 
this misfortune. This contempt, this vexation- 
God wills them. In spite of the contradictions 
of the world and self-love, be assured that such 
is the will of God. And indeed He does so for 
your own greater good and greater advantage, 
so that if you could, by lifting the veil, see the 
sacred decrees of God's Providence concerning 
you, you would approve highly of the very thing 
which you now condemn; you would not choose 
anything else even if you could. Here is the 
proof of my assertion. God knows Vvhat suits 
you best; for '^ the works of all flesh are before 
Him, and there is nothing hidden from His eyes." 
(Eccl. xxxix. 24.) He also can give Vv^hat He 
knows to be most advantageous to you, ''for 
Thy power is at hand when Thou wilt," and He 
will give it, because He loves you as the apple of 
His eye. Whatever then happens to you by His 
will happens for your greater good. " Thou hast 
ordered all things in measure and number and 
weight, and, moreover, Thou being Master of 



The Tlii'ee Degrees of Humility, 125 

power, with great favor disposest of us by turn- 
ing evil into good." 

Throw yourself, therefore, with complete and 
generous indifference into the arms of so loving 
a Father, and say with St. Ignatius of Loyola, 
*' Do with me as Thou knowest and as Thou 
wilt, for I know that Thou lovest me." Let these 
v/ords, " God wills it," be to you like a buckler, 
by which you repel all the assaults of self-love, 
and never rest until you have reached the sublime 
heights of "'Holy Indifference y 

IL 

The Three Degrees of Humility. 

I. 

The first degree of humility, says St. Ignatius, 
in the '' Book of Exercises," consists in our giving 
ourselves entirely to the obsyvance of the divine 
law, so that even if the dominion of the whole 
world were offered to us, and our lives were 
threatened with the greatest dangers, we would 
not deliberately transgress any divine or human 
precept which obliges us under pain of mortal 
sin; so that with Christ, despised, poor and af- 
flicted, we would rather be despised, poor and 
afflicted than with the guilt of mortal sin enjoy 
the highest honors, the greatest riches and the 
most exquisite delights. 

The motives to urge us on to acquire this de- 
gree are: 



126 Solid Virtue, 

ist. The grievousness of sin, which is very 
great, on account of the foulness of the offence, 
the insignificance of the offender and the majesty 
of the offended. 

2d. The enormity of the punishment inflicted 
on Lucifer, on our First Parents, and the severity 
of that which Christ Himself endured. 

3d. The rigor and eternity of the torments 
which the sinner has to suffer in Hell. 

4th. Moreover, to be in this degree is just. *^It 
is just to be subject to God.'* (2 Mach. ix. 12.) 
It is of the strictest obligation, for the Bock 
of Ecclesiastes says in the twelfth chapter, thir- 
teenth verse, " Feat God and keep His Com- 
mandments, for this is all man," i.e.^ to this is 
every man naturally and essentially bound. It 
is very profitable. '' Evil pursueth sinners, and 
to the just good shall be repaid." (Prov. xiii. 

21.) 

5th. Lastly, it is absolutely necessary for salva- 
tion to be in this degree, for ^^ if we sin wilfully, 
after having the knowledge of the truth, there is 
left a certain dreadful expectation of judgment, 
and the rage of a fire which shall consume the 
adversaries." (Heb. x. 27.) This the martyrs 
proved; for rather than sin ^^ they were stoned, 
they were put to death by the sword." (Heb. 
xi. 37.) Now have you reached this degree? 
Are you ready to suffer the loss of your good 
name, of honors, of wealth and of life itself rather 
than sin grievously? If by a mortal sin you 



The Three Degrees of Humility, 127 

could obtain the greatest dignity and riches, if 
by it you could free yourself from a long sick- 
ness or the irnminent danger of death, would you 
rather be without honors and wealth, and lay 
down your life than offend the Divine Majesty 
mortally ? And if this is your mind are you de- 
termined never to abandon this degree ? Can 
no temptation overcome you any more ? 

Be assured, unless you are influenced with an 
implacable, firmly-rooted, never-abating hatred 
of mortal sin; yea, unless, when occasion offers 
and the danger threatens of committing a sin, 
you become terrified and tremble as at the sight 
of a demon, all hope is gone of a holier life and 
a closer imitation of Christ; there perishes all 
that holy indifference so necessary to acquire 
greater perfection, and not the least fruit will be 
reaped from this retreat. Let this be the touch- 
stone of your aversion to mortal sin; examine it 
well, and then employ the surest means to avoid 
the greatest of evils. 

II. 

The second degree of humility is more perfect 
than the first, and consists in our feeling, when 
the service of God and our salvation could be 
equally well procured, the same inclinations .to 
riches or poverty, to honor or ignominy, to a 
long or a short life, so much so that no human' 
felicity, not even life itself, can ever induce us to 
commit, I do not say a mortal sin, but even the 



128 Solid Virtue. 

slightest venial sin. Consequently, the second 
degree consists in this — I would rather choose 
to lead with Christ a life of poverty, abjection 
and distress than by committing a venial sin to 
abound in honor, wealth and pleasure. The 
motives which draw us to this degree are these: 

ist. *'We must be indifferent," says St. Ig- 
natius, ^' towards all created things, so that as 
far as lies in us we desire not health more than 
sickness, and prefer not riches to povert}^, honor 
to contempt, a long life to a short one." They 
act then against this indifference, who in view of 
a slight fault prefer honor to contempt, riches to 
poverty, health to sickness, life to death. Now, 
if we do not wish to destroy the foundation of 
this retreat, and to lose the fruit which we have 
reaped, we must lay hold of the second degree of 
humility, viz., we must choose to be despised, 
to be sick, even to die, rather than stain our soul 
with a venial sin, and thereby deviate from the 
indifference so earnestly inculcated. 

2d. Riches and pov^erty, honor and ignominy, a 
long life or a short one, are only means to arrive 
at the end for which we are created; they are 
means useful only inasmuch as they bring us 
to this end. Reason itself tells us that we should 
be indifferent as to the means, and be directed in 
their choice and use only by the end of our crea- 
tion. We must^ therefore, be equally inclined to 
riches or to poverty, to honor or to ignominy, 
to a long or to a short life. But those who 



The Three Degrees of Humility, 129 

commit a venial sin in order either to avoid 
poverty, contempt, sickness, or to acquire honor, 
riches, to preserve health and life, relinquish 
the path of indifference, so requisite to make a 
good choice, deviate from their last end. 

3d. Furthermore, we should, to make us avoid 
venial sin, think as much as possible of its malice, 
which is exceedingly great, for, after mortal sin, 
it is the greatest evil in the world. God detests 
it with infinite hatred; it spoils the acts of virtue, 
diminishes the fervor of charity, finally leads to 
mortal sin, and is severely punished by God 
either in this life or in the next. 

We must, therefore, firmly resolve to detest 
and avoid, by all means, this horrible monster, 
so that no human felicity, even life itself, can 
ever induce us to commit even the slightest 
venial sin. 

" Search now Jerusalem with lamps," and see 
. how great is your horror of venial sin; ask your- 
self, if by a little lie I could avert either trouble- 
some poverty, great disgrace, dangerous sickness, 
death itself, or obtain a large sum of money, a 
distinguished employment, or a long life, would 
I not commit this sin ? Am I equally satisfied to 
be despised or to be honored, to live in poverty 
or in abundance, to be in the vigor of health or 
to be on the point of death ? What does your 
conscience answer ? 



130 Solid Virtue. 



III. 

The third degree of humility, which surpasses 
all the rest in loveliness and in value, consists in 
our choosing — even though in riches and honors 
we could as easily as in poverty and contempt, 
work out our salvation — poverty, contempt, dis- 
grace, in preference to wealth, honors and repu- 
tation, in order that we may thus more closely 
follow our Lord, who was poor, dishonored, and 
despised. 

The motives to reach this degree are : 

ist. The example of Christ, who, for our sake, 
chose the road of poverty, contempt and pain; 
" who, having joy set before Him, endured the 
cross, despising shame.'* (Heb. xii. 2.) Conse- 
quently, we also out of love for Him should en- 
deavor to follow Him herein more closely, not 
only when riches and honors do not hinder the 
end of our creation, but even when they bring us 
thereto, and help to our advancement in perfec- 
tion, as well as poverty, trouble and contempt. 

They whom the example of Christ cannot 
persuade to love this degree have hearts of 
stone; for the King of kings has become for 
love of us "a man of sorrows" (Isaias liii. 3); 
"the reproach of men" (Psalm xxi. 7); "not 
having whereon to lay His head " (Luke xi. 58); 
and sinful man, mere dust, swells with pride 
and "spends his days in wealth." (Job xxi. 13.) 

We know that honors, wealth and pleasures 



The Three Degrees of Humility, 131 

are the baits by which we are caught by the 
devil and precipitated into eternal flames, and 
that contempt, pains and poverty are the means 
which conduct us to the heavenly kingdom. 
We believe that Christ has chosen a poor and 
humble life for no other reason than to inspire 
us with a desire of contempt, poverty and hard- 
ships, and to make us despise pleasures, riches 
and dignities; and yet knowing and believing 
all this we neglect the example of Christ, and 
live only in the enjoyment of riches and of the 
gratifications of the flesh; we hate what He 
loved, and still we call ourselves Christians, 
who, according to St. Gregory of Nyssa, should 
be other Christs. Perhaps even we are reli- 
gious, who, by our vows, should be the living 
images of the Crucified Redeemer. What ex- 
cuse have w^ for this discrepancy and opposi- 
tion between our faith and our lives ? Cannot 
the example of Christ, our Saviour, have over us 
as much influence as that of a commander over 
his soldiers ? He first of all gains the wall of 
the beleagured city, and is at once eagerly fol- 
lowed by his men. Christians only are unwill- 
ing to follow their Divine Master. Far be from 
us such cowardice and faintheartedness! *' Take, 
therefore, courage, brethren; let us go forward 
together." With a generous mind we will strug- 
gle towards this third degree of humility; we 
have promised it in every retreat. ** We have 
begun; we may not go back, nor may we leave 



132 Solid Virtue. 

off. Take courage, then; Jesus will be with us. 
He will be our helper who is our captain and 
forerunner. Behold our King marcheth before 
us, who will fight for us. Let us follow Him 
manfully; let no one fear terrors; let us be 
ready to die valiantly in battle, nor let us bring 
disgrace upon our glory by flying from the 
Cross.'* (Foil, of Christ, iii. 56, 56.) 

2d. The fear lest if we do not attain this third 
degree of humility we have not attained the sec- 
ond and even the first. For although we may 
have made a firm resolution not to contaminate 
ourselves with a mortal sin or even with venial 
sin, though surrounded by riches, honors and 
comforts of life, it is very difficult amidst them 
to avoid sin, at least, for a long time. Who- 
ever, therefore, wishes to be firmly fixed in 
the first and second degrees, must .needs strive 
towards the third. 

Justly may it be feared, lest in punishment of 
the neglect of the call to a holier life, divine as- 
sistance be withdrawn, the suppiy of grace be 
taken away, the thread of God's special Provi- 
dence be cut short, dangerous temptations be 
incurred, so that at last a great fall ensues. 
These words of Holy Writ would then be veri- 
fied: 

** I called and you refused; I stretched out my 
hand and there was none that regarded. I also 
will laugh in your destruction, and will mock 
when that will come to you which you feared; 



The Three Degrees of Humility. 133 

when sudden calamity shall fall on you, and de- 
struction as a tempest shall be at hand." (Prov. 
i. 24.) Lest this fate should befall us let us 
promptly follow Christ calling us to the third 
degree. 

3d. This last degree of humility is the dis- 
tinctive mould of our Society. From this 
sprung most of the Constitutions, particularly 
the nth Rule of the Summary, "They must 
diligently observe (esteeming it of great impor- 
tance, and of the highest moment in the sight of 
our Creator and Lord) how much it helps and 
contributes to progress in spiritual life to abhor 
wholly and not in part, what the world loves and 
embraces, and to accept and desire with their 
whole strength whatsoever Christ our Lord loved 
and embraced. They would wish to suffer re- 
proaches, slanders and injuries, and to be 
treated and accounted as fools (without at the 
same time giving any occasion for it), because 
they desire to imitate and resemble in some sort 
their Creator and Lord Jesus Christ, and to be 
clothed with His garments and livery.'* 

It would be very disgraceful if we never 
thought of this rule and considered it as a mere 
theory, whilst in it is embodied the spirit of the 
Society, and on it depend the entire strength, 
safety and felicity of the whole Order. 

From all this it is evident how justly this 
third degree of humility is called a treasure hid- 
den in the field; a pearl to be bought at any 



134 Solid Virtue, 

price; the marrow of the Spiritual Life; the 
abridgment of the evangelical doctrine; the 
chief point of perfection, the abundant source 
of graces of the highest order, and finally, 
the mystery in which lies hidden the Wisdom 
of God, of which Christ said, *^I confess to 
Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, 
because Thou hast hid these things from the 
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to 
little ones.' (Matt. xi. 25.) 



III. 

The Glory and Happiness of One who is 
Despised and Afflicted. 

The object of this instruction is to confirm a 
soul that has arrived at the degree of humility 
in which it would rather, even supposing 
God's glory were equal in both cases, lead a life 
of contempt, troubles and hardships, than abound 
in this world's joys and honors. But to be de- 
spised and to suffer is a thing very difficult to 
our weak nature. It is therefore important to 
place before our eyes the glory and happiness 
which lie concealed under afflictions and con- 
tempt, that, allured by the sweetness of the fruit, 
we may thereby be encouraged to undergo the 
severity of the labor. 

In order that contempt and suffering may be- 
come more agreeable, let us consider that to be 



The Glory and Happiness of the Afflicted, 135 

despised does not bring shame but glory; to suf- 
fer does not make us miserable but happy. 



The glory which adversity brings to a despised 
and afflicted soul is very great. For sufferings 
prove that such a soul is heroic, that it equals 
the martyrs and angels, and that it is very dear 
to Christ, on account of the resemblance it has 
to Him. 

I St. If the soul patiently bears sufferings, it is 
heroic. 

St. John Chrysostom spoke thus of the Egyp- 
tian Joseph: " He became celebrated and illustri- 
ous by the calumny, imprisonment, chains and 
hardships which he suffered. Although he was 
great by his chastity, he was made greater still 
by the sufferings which he endured; for, at that 
time, he was more glorious and appeared in 
greater splendor than when he sat on Egypt's 
throne, and distributed bread to the hungry." 
Adversities prove how great our virtue is. Even 
the heathen knew this. "Adversities," says 
Epictetus, " prove us to be men." " It is not," 
remarks Seneca, "a sign of a great soul to be 
brave in prosperity, when life flows on with an 
even course. A tranquil sea and favorable wind 
do not show the difficulty and the art of steering 
the vessel. Adversity must occur to show forth 
the man as a hero." 

" God acts," observes St. John Chrysostom, 



136 Solid Virtue, 

**with virtuous men, in the same manner as a 
general who chooses the best soldiers for the 
most difficult work. Thus God sends greater 
sufferings to those whom He knows to be great 
heroes in the spiritual battle-field." 

2d. Adversity makes us equal to the martyrs 
and angels. First to the martyrs. **For pa- 
tience/' says St. Lawrence Justinian, "makes a 
man a martyr." " Blessed is he," observes St. 
John Climacus, " who being everywhere calumni- 
ated for God's sake, and provoked by opprobri- 
ous words, overcomes himself; truly there is no 
difference between such a soul and a martyr." 
This is also confirmed by the authority of the 
Church. In the office of St. Martin, Bishop of 
Tours, we say, "O thrice holy soul, that didst 
not lose the crown of martyrdom, although the 
sword of the persecutor did not take away thy 
life." 

3d. It renders us equal to the angels. " Those," 
says St. John Chrysostom, " who are meek and 
patient, and bear with calm resignation the in- 
sults and affronts heaped upon them, and bless 
those who persecute them, are equal to the heav- 
enly powers, who are endowed with the gift of 
impassibility; for, like the angels, they are above 
the troubles and vexations of this life." What 
is more glorious than to be equal to the martyrs 
and angels ? 

4th. Adversities prove that we are very dear to 
Jesus Christ, and render us like unto Him. The 



The Glory and Happmess of the Afflicted, 137 

experience of the saints shows us this; "for we 
always find," as St. Teresa remarks, " that those 
who are nearer and dearer to our Lord have a 
larger share of labor and adversities." One day 
the blessed Angela of Foligno asked our Lord 
who were His dearest children. He replied: 
" Those whom I love most sit the nearest to Me 
at My table, eating with Me the bread of tribu- 
lation, and drinking with Me of the chalice of 
My Passion. To My dearest children I send 
many tribulations, and it is a special grace for 
them that I do so." Consequently, those who 
suffer most are the truest sons of God and 
brothers of Jesus Christ, His nearest guests 
at table, and His dearest and most cherished 
friends. 

They are conformable to Christ and like unto 
Him. **For whom He foreknew He also pre- 
destined to be made conformable to the image 
of His son" (Rom. viii. 27); that is to say, as 
Vasquez and Cornelius a Lapide explain: ** Those 
whom God foreknew to be by grace His beloved 
friends. He predestined to suffer; that they might 
by patience become conformable to His Son, who 
underwent for the love of them such hardships 
and labors. In short, God desires that they 
should also be crucified with His Son and be a 
perfect image of Him." 

As many strokes of the chisel, and of other 
sharp instruments, are required to form out of 
ivory an image of the dying Saviour, accurately 



138 Solid Virtue. 

representing the muscles and veins of His body, 
so many tribulations and afflictions transform 
the soul into a perfect likeness of the bruised 
and suffering Jesus. The more, therefore, one is 
afflicted with great and numberless pains, the 
more Christ shows that He desires to make Him 
conformable to Himself. 

Oh! what an honor it is to be an image of the 
Crucified, to be nailed with Christ on the same 
cross! "As it is very honorable to a soldier to 
carry the arms of his king, so it is very glorious 
for a Christian to bear the prints of the wounds 
of Jesus Christ,** remarks St. Lawrence Justinian. 

And yet, O blindness of men! we flee from 
sufferings as much as possible; we fear to be 
brought to the same state to which Christ was 
reduced on the cross. The third degree of hu- 
mility is a stumbling-block and foolishness, not 
only to the Pagan and to the Jew, but also to 
a great number of Christians. Woe to those 
who, seeing the eminent glory that is hidden 
under contempt and affliction, conceive, never- 
theless, neither esteem, love, nor desire for such 
a state; they deserve to be covered "with the 
double cloak of confusion." (Psalm cviii. 29.) 

II. 

One who is despised and afflicted enjoys very 
great happiness, both on account of the preroga- 
tives granted to this state, and of the excellence 
of the grace which is hidden under adversity. 



The Glory and Happiness of the Afflicted. 139 

ist. The prerogatives of this state are great 
indeed, for adversities are the means of perfec- 
tion, a sign of the divine love towards us, and a 
mark of predestination. 

That they are the means of perfection is evi- 
dent from the teaching of St. Gregory the Great, 
who says, " I make bold to assert that the fewer 
persecutions you suffer the less holy is your 
life." By the abundance of affliction this saint 
measured the greatness of perfection. St. Law- 
rence Justinian is of the same mind, for he de- 
clares, "When the world rages against you, 
when the envious repine, when the devil roars, 
when the wicked calumniate you, and the proud 
lay their snares, then be assured you walk in the 
footsteps of the perfect." The reason thereof is 
obvious; for contempt, poverty and pain de- 
prive our sensuality, self-love and pride of all 
charm, nourishment and strength, and conse- 
quently stop the fertile source of evil, and afford 
the soul frequent occasions of performing heroic 
acts. Thus it is that one is led in a wonderful 
way to the very height of perfection. 

Adversities are, moreover, a sign of God's love 
towards us. " For whom the Lord loveth He 
chastiseth." (Heb. xii. 6; Prov. iii. 12.) "Be- 
cause thou wast acceptable to God it was neces- 
sary that temptation should prove thee." (To- 
bias xii. 13.) 

These are the oracles of Holy Writ. Similar 
are the sentiments of the holy Fathers concern- 



140 Solid Virtue. 

ing it. " In the just/' writes St. Lawrence Jus- 
tinian, "tribulation is a sign of the divine love 
towards them, and even the more one is loved 
the harder he is treated in this present life.'* 
" We see,'* remarks St. Gregory the Great, " the 
chosen ones of God live piously and suffer bit- 
terly." "It is most certain," observes St. Teresa, 
" that those whom God loves much are led by 
Him through the path of difficulties and labors, 
and the more He loves one the greater hardships 
He sends him." 

Adversities are likewise the best proof of our 
love for God. As Christ has shown His love for 
us by His death on the cross, so we prove our 
love for Him by suffering with Him. "And 
thus the more we bear with," says St. Catharine 
of Sienna, " the greater proof we give of our 
love." "For tribulation," remarks St. John 
Chrysostom, "is an evident proof of undying 
love for God." On the contrary, to have no 
cross is the sign of the divine wrath towards us; 
for, as the same saint elsewhere says, " God chas- 
tises every son whom He receives, consequently 
one who is not chastised is certainly not among 
the number of His sons." For this reason St. 
Francis Xavier used to say, " It seems to me that 
we do not serve God faithfully if we are long 
without persecution." Even Seneca wrote to 
one of his friends, " Unfortunate I deem you to 
be, because you have never been unfortunate." 
If a heathen then, to whom the mystery of the 



The Glory and Happiness of the Afflicted. 141 

cross was a scandal, thought this, what shall be 
the sentiments of a Christian, of a religious, who 
is instructed in the mysteries of faith ? 

Lastly, adversities are a mark of predestina- 
tion and divine election. This St. Augustine 
affirms. *^ When God," he says, *^ chastises you 
with severe persecutions, it is presumptive evi- 
dence that He has destined you to be among the 
elect." *^ Tribulation," observes St. Lawrence 
Justinian, " is in the elect a proof of divine love, 
a token of future bliss, and a mark of predestina- 
tion." And in another place he says, ** Crosses 
patiently borne are undoubtedly a sign of pre- 
destination." Who shall then say that one who 
is despised and afflicted is not truly happy, since 
he enjoys prerogatives that give the greatest 
happiness, namely, the most efficacious means of 
acquiring perfection, an unmistakable sign of 
God's love for him, and a most certain mark of 
predestination ? 

2d. Very great also is the excellence of grace 
which is hidden in adversity. *^ For it is," says 
St. Chrysostom, " the greatest honor to be 
deemed worthy to suffer something for Christ. 
It is a precious crown, a reward almost equal to 
the life to come. Even if there were no reward 
hereafter, to suffer hardships for the sake of Him 
who is loved is in itself a great reward and an 
ample remuneration. Those who love under- 
stand this. To be a prisoner for Christ is more 
glorious than to be an apostle, a doctor, or an 



142 Solid Virtue, 

Evangelist. This is truly a great dignity, far 
beyond that of royalty. One that loves Christ 
would rather be in prison for His sake than en- 
joy the blessedness of the heavenly court. No 
glittering diadem so adorns the head of a prince, 
as chains adorn one that is a prisoner for Christ's 
sake." 

To suffer is Something greater than even to 
work miracles. *^ For," remarks St. John Chry- 
sostom, " when God gives the power to raise the 
dead to life, He gives less than when He con- 
fers the grace to suffer; for the gift of miracles I 
am indebted to God, but for suffering patiently 
Christ is indebted to me." Miracles by no 
means make a saint, since they may be common 
to the good and bad, but patience in adversity 
is the surest way to sublime sanctity. 

Lastly, to suffer is something greater than to 
have revelations of the most profound mysteries. 
"O my God!" exclaimed the blessed Baptista 
Verana, **by revealing all the secrets of Thy 
most Sacred Heart, Thou wouldst not confer on 
me so great a good as by sending me afflictions." 

From all this you may infer that our enemies 
are our greatest benefactors and our best friends. 
*' Acknowledge yourself," says the same blessed 
Verana, " more indebted to him that does you 
harm than to him that does you good; for the 
former purifies your soul, and giakes it beautiful, 
lovely and acceptable to God." "Will you call 
him an enemy,*' asks St. John Chrysostom, "who 



The Glory and Happiness of the Affiicted, 143 

opens to you the gates of confidence, and the 
treasures of divine graces, and cleanses your 
soul from all stain of sin ? " The holy doctor 
concludes: "Were the choice offered me, either 
of Heaven or the prison, I would choose the lat- 
ter. Had I the choice either to stand with the 
angels above near the throne of God, or to be 
bound with St. Paul, I would prefer the dun- 
geon. Nothing can be better than to suffer for 
Christ. St. Paul is not so blessed for having been 
caught up to Heaven as for having borne chains. 
It is more desirable for me to suffer evils for 
Christ than to be honored with Christ. This is 
a grace above all graces." 

Thus the saints thought, spoke and acted con- 
cerning the glory and happiness which are con- 
cealed in adversity. These are the thoughts of 
the children of God, and from them let us not 
degenerate. 



If ft 



